Christina's Considerations

Reflections of a Patient Advocate - An evolving journey in healthcare!

When I decided to become a hospital administrator at 17 (who does that?) I wanted to eliminate barriers and overcome challenges so that nurses and doctors could provide better care. I guess I was advocating for patients my entire career,... Read more →

Not in Vain A Promise Kept

Years ago as a blogger, physicians and a few other clinicians found me and shared their books. Today, patients and their caregivers find me. Not in Vain is a daughter's advocacy in honor of her mother and her experience with... Read more →

The Long and Winding Road to Care

Rare conditions, syndromes and diseases can include a really long and winding road; especially during the diagnosis period. Rare doesn't mean there isn't a diagnosis, it just means more thought and referrals for second opinions or referrals to specialists are... Read more →

The Changing Brain: Dementia

The last couple of years were challenging for my family. My mom had dementia and we needed to try and keep up with her changing brain and its impact on her functioning, social needs, and physical status. We also needed... Read more →

Legal Innovations & Healthcare Harm

Effective hospital risk managers and executives, learn the importance of communication when it comes to preventing most lawsuits. Clear communications that can be acted upon make for more efficient and effective workplaces, but also better quality and safer care. But,... Read more →

Changa in Functional Medicine

A few years ago, I read about the life and work of Hildegard von Bingen (c. 1098 - 1179), a German nun and scientific/medical writer. She began using the herbs grown in her monastery garden to aid those she cared... Read more →

PHI Compliance: What It Is and How To Achieve It

This guest post from Nightfall (a cloud-native data loss prevention solution) is written for organizations that partner with those in the healthcare industry, but I share this post to help educate consumers. One reason is I often hear "you can... Read more →

Do you need a second opinion? The doctor doesn't always know best!

Too many consumers of health care services feel stuck. They know something is wrong, but their physician (or another clinician) doesn't find anything or suggests a diagnosis or treatment that just doesn't seem to fit. While we don't want to... Read more →

Disrupting the Healthcare Ecosystem - Again!

The healthcare system has been evolving over a long period of time. And, it seems, this evolution has been picking up speed given the rapid advancements we have experienced over the last few decades. Part of this evolution has been... Read more →

The ROI of DICOM: A Candy Striper's Story

I'm teaching this week - health informatics to nurses, public health and health administration students. Last week we discussed standards and interoperability; and it reminded me of a story. The memory was triggered by student discussions. One said it must... Read more →

Woodworking as Art Therapy: Getting Started

Did you know that Wood was the first drawing material? Wood, in the form of charcoal, was the first artistic medium. An example of cave art, using charred wood, at Rouffignac in France dates back 13,000 years. Kiln produced charcoal... Read more →

2020 Holiday Gift Guide

I've tested some new products and share a few in my latest holiday gift guide; especially for those with chronic illness and/or challenged by the aging process. The first on the list is influenced by our current pandemic and the... Read more →

Effective Communication for Patient Safety

Medical errors, delays in care, bias and misunderstandings are most often the result in communication failures. In fact, most lawsuits filed by patients and/or their families are the result of communication issues that sometimes lead to poor outcomes. This is... Read more →

Is there actually CBD in the product(s) you purchase?

Cannabinoid products (CBD) are appearing everywhere and in different forms. We can find salves, chews, gummies, bath bombs, oils, concentrates and beverages on store shelves and online. While high quality CBD can be effective in addressing some of our health... Read more →

Tips for Traveling in COVID19 Times with a Compromised Immune System

In late May, as talk of opening up the economy began, I started to think of my mother and her primary caregiver; my father. They both need my support and assistance as they face the challenges of a serious chronic... Read more →