9. The Power of the Patient Voice in Kent

Despite an increasing focus on person-centered care, patients frequently have little influence in matters that affect them the most. Hear how patient advocates amplify the voice of the patient and how these change agents work at the core of healthcare improvement efforts. Integrating the perspective of people ultimately affected by medical decisions identifies gaps in care that are often missed. Anna Edwards tells us about her journey as a person with a chronic condition and her years of experience in making sure that health systems hear the voice of the patient.References:Davidson AR, Morgan M, Ball L, Reidlinger DP. Patient advocates' views of patient roles in interprofessional collaborative practice in primary care: A constructivist grounded theory study. Health Soc Care Community. 2022;30:e5775-e5785. NEJM Catalyst. The Power of the Patient Voice: How Health Care Organizations Empower Patients and Improve Care Delivey. E-book: https://cssjs.nejm.org/landing-page/cj-ebook-2021/The-Power-of-the-Patient-Voice.pdfSimkus A, Holtz K, Wanty N. Reviewing Models of Patient Advocacy: Current Successes and Future Directions for Applying Community Health Workers and Patient Advocates to Advance Health Equity. Health Equity. 2024;8(1):849-855.