Britta Goes to MedX!
Donation protected
Hello!
I am asking for your support to help fund my trip to the Medicine X Conference at Stanford University in September. I was awarded a partial scholarship to attend the MedX conference on the Engagement/Producer Track. That means I will be promoting the conference LIVE on social media and will write about it afterwards too! It will also be a great learning experience for me!
I applied for this conference because I have been struggling with health issues for 15+ years, and I have found that being engaged in my health plan encourages not only my health care providers but myself to work on making parts of the patient experience easier and more user-friendly.
Despite what is often protrayed, we are not all cookie-cutter patients! I know that is true because nothing of my troublesome health history has been easy! I went many years undiagnosed with Lyme Disease, and it forced me to do my own research to find someone that was willing to go out on a limb to run extra tests and treat me. After successful antibiotic treatments and some non-traditional routes, I came out stronger, and it inspired me to study health in college.
Among all of this, I had the signs and symptoms of arthritis. Again, no doctors were completely sure what form or kind. About two years ago, I was finally diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. My rheumatologists have been very supportive in allowing me to make my own decisions, as an educated patient, not just because, "that is what everyone else does."
Currently, I am exploring a new speciality(not by choice!) in neurology. I've had some neuropathy and muscular symptoms that my rheumatologist ruled out to not be from my Ankylosing Spondylitis.
Within all of these diagnoses, I had a lot of mis-diagnoses and other procedures and surgeries. All of this time spent in hospitals, clinics, and speciality centers made me more aware of the patient experience and how it could be improved. I also currently serve on an advisory council at my local hospital, and I spend a lot of time reading about health trends.
Why am I asking for support? After years of procedures even with health insurance, I still have paid for a lot of expenses out-of-pocket...supplements, alternative treatments, gas for my car(my rheumatologist and neurologist are both 63 miles away from my house, one way!).
I hope to learn a lot about the patient experience from doctors and other patients and bring this information back to my community.
The money donated will help me with travel costs, hotel expenses, and meals.
I appreciate any help, as every penny adds up!
Click on MedX for more info!
P.S. If you donate, I will send you a hand-written thank you note...because email thank yous are lazy!
I am asking for your support to help fund my trip to the Medicine X Conference at Stanford University in September. I was awarded a partial scholarship to attend the MedX conference on the Engagement/Producer Track. That means I will be promoting the conference LIVE on social media and will write about it afterwards too! It will also be a great learning experience for me!
I applied for this conference because I have been struggling with health issues for 15+ years, and I have found that being engaged in my health plan encourages not only my health care providers but myself to work on making parts of the patient experience easier and more user-friendly.
Despite what is often protrayed, we are not all cookie-cutter patients! I know that is true because nothing of my troublesome health history has been easy! I went many years undiagnosed with Lyme Disease, and it forced me to do my own research to find someone that was willing to go out on a limb to run extra tests and treat me. After successful antibiotic treatments and some non-traditional routes, I came out stronger, and it inspired me to study health in college.
Among all of this, I had the signs and symptoms of arthritis. Again, no doctors were completely sure what form or kind. About two years ago, I was finally diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. My rheumatologists have been very supportive in allowing me to make my own decisions, as an educated patient, not just because, "that is what everyone else does."
Currently, I am exploring a new speciality(not by choice!) in neurology. I've had some neuropathy and muscular symptoms that my rheumatologist ruled out to not be from my Ankylosing Spondylitis.
Within all of these diagnoses, I had a lot of mis-diagnoses and other procedures and surgeries. All of this time spent in hospitals, clinics, and speciality centers made me more aware of the patient experience and how it could be improved. I also currently serve on an advisory council at my local hospital, and I spend a lot of time reading about health trends.
Why am I asking for support? After years of procedures even with health insurance, I still have paid for a lot of expenses out-of-pocket...supplements, alternative treatments, gas for my car(my rheumatologist and neurologist are both 63 miles away from my house, one way!).
I hope to learn a lot about the patient experience from doctors and other patients and bring this information back to my community.
The money donated will help me with travel costs, hotel expenses, and meals.
I appreciate any help, as every penny adds up!
Click on MedX for more info!
P.S. If you donate, I will send you a hand-written thank you note...because email thank yous are lazy!
Organizer
Britta Bloomquist
Organizer
Virginia, MN
