When Friends Become Advocates: It’s Working in Omaha

For so many independent patient advocates, it can be a scary proposition to go it alone.In this episode, we hear from two good friends from Omaha, Nebraska who joinedforces and combined their unique individual skills to create a rewarding, impactful, andfun patient advocacy practice.Nicky Wik has a long history working on the administrative side of healthcare, learningthe business of medicine and overseeing quality control for physical therapy clinics. Shewas awakened to the need for advocacy when nobody followed up with her father afterhe was tested following chest pains. She learned that you can never assume thehealthcare system is going to do their job. She met Becky Korinek, a teacher who wasserving lunch Nicky’s kindergartener. You’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out howthey connected.In our discussion, Nicky and Becky describe how they started their practice, who theyserve, what they do, how they get the word out about advocacy in Omaha, and theimportance of staying connected with other advocates. Most importantly, Nicky andBecky are in lock step when it comes to the need for effective communication withphysicians. That’s why their clients become part of the family. Establishing client trustensures that advocates are best able to help them inform to healthcare teams what they should know.