As the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed, the public’s degree in their understanding of health literacy has proven to be absolutely crucial. Defined by the Centers for Disease Control, health literacy is “the degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain, communicate, process, and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions.” In my previous article, I examined the practical importance … Continue reading Calling for Health Care Reform through Patient Advocacy

Since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March, its accompanying symptoms — “fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell” — have practically been etched in our brains. However, we forget another shared occurrence between COVID-19 patients: their inevitable feeling of isolation. Consider two COVID-19 patients with differing backgrounds: Paul Dewyse, a 57-year-old Michigan resident and a father to three, and Ernesto … Continue reading A Patient Advocate’s Guide to Being Prepared for COVID-19