Technological innovations impact every aspect of our lives and access to them has been invaluable while we navigate life during a pandemic. People all along the age continuum have learned to incorporate new technological resources into their daily lives

Making decisions about one’s healthcare was complex prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with the healthcare system facing a variety of challenges, knowing what reliable resources there are to assist in making informed decisions can feel confusing during uncertain times. It is understandable to have questions about your healthcare concerns in the short term and long term. In this post, I explore questions I’ve received from clients and community members and identify some reliable resources to aid in informed decision making.

It may seem like a strange question for an independent patient advocate to be asking, but I assure you it is an important one. In the past few weeks, we have learned to adapt to a new way of life. One in which we make an itemized grocery list and hope that the online service from which we are ordering OR the store itself has the items we are most interested in on its shelves. Going to or ordering from a grocery store is now a planned event, one that takes preparation and careful thought. So, while we are focused on what it is in our refrigerator, it is important to give thought to what may not be ON our refrigerator.

What may be missing from the front of your refrigerator?

Due to the volume of patients needing care during the COVID- 19 pandemic, many hospitals and facilities are not allowing patients to be accompanied. This is a challenge for everyone since the patient will not have a loved one/friend to advocate for them bedside. It will be hard for healthcare providers to know who to reach out to regarding important decisions should the patient be incapacitated. You can help. Make sure you have a “go” plan and bag should hospitalization be necessary.