If you’ve ever sat in a waiting room staring at a clock that seems frozen in time, you’re not alone. Whether it’s waiting weeks for an appointment, hours in patient room, or days for test results, waiting has become a defining feature of modern healthcare. How about waiting for a call back from a Doctor’s office, that never happens?

But why is this so common, and more importantly, does it have to be?

Waiting Isn’t Just Inconvenient, It’s Emotional

Waiting in healthcare isn’t like waiting in line at the grocery store. It’s layered with anxiety, vulnerability, and uncertainty. Patients aren’t just waiting for a name to be called; they’re waiting for reassurance, answers, relief, or sometimes life-altering news.

For many patients, waiting can feel dismissive, like their time, comfort, or fear doesn’t matter. And for individuals with trauma histories, cognitive impairments, or specific personal boundaries, prolonged waiting without communication can feel unsafe.

The Systemic Reasons Behind the Wait

Healthcare delays are rarely caused by one single issue. They are usually the result of a system under strain:

• Overbooked schedules are designed to compensate for no-shows
• Chronic staffing shortages, especially among nurses and support staff
• Administrative burdens, including documentation and insurance requirements
• Poor staff training and inefficient logistics
• The need to prioritize emergencies, which is essential but often poorly communicated 

These realities help explain delays, but they do not erase the patient experience. Understanding the “why” behind waiting does not make the waiting any less distressing when patients are left in the dark.

The Communication Gap

One of the most frustrating aspects of waiting is not the delay itself, but the silence around it.

A delay explained is different from a delay ignored.

Too often, patients are left alone in exam rooms with no updates, no expectations, and no acknowledgment that time is passing. Even a brief check-in, “We’re running about 20 minutes behind, and here’s why,” can restore a sense of dignity and reduce anxiety.

Communication does not eliminate delays, but it does prevent patients from feeling forgotten.

When Waiting Becomes a Risk

Many diagnoses and treatments in healthcare are time-sensitive. Delays can change outcomes sometimes significantly. Infections progress. Pain escalates. Neurological and cardiac symptoms evolve. Mental health crises deepen.

Yet from the patient’s perspective, that urgency is often invisible.

Instead, patients experience long stretches of waiting with vague reassurances that “someone will be in shortly,” concerns that are minimized, or symptoms reframed as non-urgent. What may be happening behind the scenes feels irrelevant when no one communicates what is happening or why the wait is necessary.

This is where waiting crosses a line.

When time matters, and patients are left uninformed, the message received is not neutrality, it is dismissal. And dismissal carries consequences.

Patients begin to question their own symptoms. They hesitate to speak up for fear of being labeled difficult or demanding. Some leave before being seen. Others endure prolonged distress that could have been mitigated with timely attention or clear communication.

In a system where minutes can matter, lack of communication is not a minor inconvenience—it is a patient safety issue.

Waiting as a Trust Issue

Extended or poorly managed waiting doesn’t just affect outcomes—it erodes trust. When patients feel dismissed, they are less likely to engage fully in their care, disclose concerns, or return for follow-up. Trust, once lost, is difficult to rebuild.

Healthcare is not just about clinical decisions. It is about relationships. And those relationships are shaped in moments when patients feel most vulnerable, often while waiting.

What Patients Aren’t Asking For

Most patients are not asking for perfection. They understand that emergencies happen, schedules run behind, and systems are complex.

What they are asking for is far simpler:

• Transparency
• Respect
• Communication
• Acknowledgment that their time, symptoms, and well-being matter

Patients should not have to advocate forcefully just to be seen, heard, or taken seriously.

What Healthcare Could Do Better

Small changes can make a meaningful difference:

• Clear explanations when delays occur
• Regular check-ins during extended waits
• Consent and communication before entering patient spaces
• Workflow designs that center on patient experience alongside efficiency

Waiting may sometimes be unavoidable.

Being dismissed is not.

A Question Worth Asking

So the question isn’t just why we’re always waiting in healthcare.

It’s why waiting has been normalized without addressing how it affects the people at the center of care, the patients.

Because healthcare isn’t just about treatment.

It’s about trust.

How an Experienced Private Patient Advocate Can Help

This is where Pathway Patient Advocates, private patient advocates, play a critical role. Patient advocates help ensure that concerns are heard, questions are answered, and time-sensitive issues are clearly communicated within an often-overwhelming healthcare system. By serving as a consistent presence, advocates can help reduce delays caused by miscommunication, support patients in speaking up without fear of dismissal, and ensure care decisions reflect both medical urgency and patient dignity. In a system where waiting is common and navigation is complex, patient advocacy helps shift the experience from passive waiting to informed, supported care, restoring trust, clarity, and a sense that patients are not facing healthcare alone.

With a Private Patient Advocate

A new year often comes with a fresh perspective, a resolution, and a boost of motivation. There are many reasons why you feel your health needs to get back on track. Maybe you’re experiencing symptoms that no one can quite figure out. Maybe your chronic condition is not managed as you would like. Perhaps you have cancer and have lost hope. Whatever the reason, the new year can be the start to a new you. 

While many of us have tried tackling our health journey on our own, it is often challenging, overwhelming, and exhausting. This year, I urge you to try a different approach, with a private patient advocate by your side. What’s the difference?…so many things:

• Expertise: The right, experienced private patient advocate is knowledgeable on your condition, how to manage it, and how to help you obtain the resources you need to get you the care and management you need
• Navigating the health care system: Navigating the healthcare system is challenging for everyone (even those working in healthcare). So how do you tackle it? Well, with a private patient advocate, you really don’t have to. A private patient advocate can take over the workload for you and lessen your burden.
• Standing by your side: Navigating the healthcare system can make you feel lonely, isolated, and defeated.  With a private patient advocate, you won’t have to feel alone. You have someone with you. 

So it’s the new year, where do you start?

Make the call to learn more about how we can help. Call 957-517-8395 to learn more and get started. At Pathway Patient Advocates, we know time is critical, and we are ready to jump in and get started with your case. You do not need to have your information or records organised before you call. We can help take that burden off your shoulders. You are one call away from a new year and a new you. 

Navigating congenital disorders, such as Down Syndrome, is a challenging journey. While much is known about Down Syndrome, there is still much to be understood. As with all medical conditions, despite having a “textbook” definition of symptoms and best management, each person is unique and requires their own individualized approach.

What is Down Syndrome?

Down syndrome, also called Trisomy 21, is a genetic condition that occurs when there is an additional (all or part) chromosome 21 present. This is diagnosed during gestation or at the time of birth.  As a result, an individual with Down syndrome shares common physical traits, including a flat facial profile, slanted eyes, a short neck, and a protruding tongue. They may also have low muscle tone and shorter stature.

Additional Health Conditions

An individual with Down Syndrome is at a higher risk for developing additional health conditions, including congenital heart defects, gastrointestinal issues, hearing problems, thyroid conditions, and more. Sometimes the conditions are not initially recognized at birth, and sometimes they do not develop until later in life. 

Navigating Down Syndrome

A loved one with Down syndrome needs a lot of special attention to help optimize their health and overall quality of life. As a parent with a child with Down syndrome or a caregiver, it may feel like an overwhelming job to navigate this journey. While it is a challenge, it is important to know that help is available. Many resources are available, including Down syndrome specialty medical centers. These centers are few in come and may not be available near your demographic location; however, telemedicine and advanced technology offer advanced options. 

How a Private Patient Advocate fits into your navigating Down Syndrome Journey

An experienced private patient advocate can help alleviate your burden and optimize your loved one’s quality of life. A private patient advocate can assist in managing insurance and coverage issues, arranging additional caregiving, and researching additional treatment options. A private patient advocate can arrange appointments, transportation, special nutrition, and therapy arrangements. Another essential benefit is that an experienced private patient advocate can review medical records, prepare and attend medical appointments, and communicate with the care team. In addition, we will support and educate you on how you can advocate for yourself. 

Reach out to Pathway Patient Advocates and let us walk with you on your journey. You never have to feel alone as you navigate this path.

Bio: Dr. Elena Borrelli, DMSC, MS, PAC, BCPA, is the founder of Pathway Patient Advocates. She has over 20 years of experience in the medical field in both clinical, administrative, and academic settings. Apart from her experience in professional practices, Dr. Borrelli has encountered frustration and discrepancies while personally navigating the health care system. Her passion is to help patients better understand the complex and often confusing medical system. Dr. Borrelli has experience in a variety of healthcare settings. Her main focus is to assist clients who are dealing with chronic conditions, rare disorders, cancer, or undiagnosed symptoms. It is her compassion, experience, and determination that set Pathway Patient Advocates apart from the rest. To reach Dr. Borrelli, you can visit her website at pathwaypa.com.

The holiday season is a time filled with holiday traditions, get togethers, community events, and more. Often, a large part of the festivities involves food. Christmas cookies, candy, pies, and many even a secret family recipe. It’s a tricky time to start a diet for just about anyone. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, so it is only fitting to discuss this topic. However,  it can be an especially challenging time of year for someone who is diabetic. 

Plan Ahead

While time-consuming, planning ahead can go a long way and help keep you on track. Think of some foods that you can bring with you to holiday gatherings that won’t cause drastic fluctuations in your sugar. A nutritionist can help with food options and meal planning. A private patient advocate can help arrange the support you need to have in place.

Have an Emergency Plan

Have an emergency plan in case you do have a large spike or drop in your blood sugar. It is important to review what symptoms to look out for that may indicate a significant change in your blood sugar. An emergency plan includes things such as who you are going to notify in an emergency, that you are going to the hospital. Perhaps rescue medications are available at your home. Also, what steps will you take in an emergency, perhaps what you will pack? 

Give yourself Grace

If the unexpected does occur, remember to give grace to yourself. Review what happened and how to prevent it from happening next time. Work with a private patient advocate who can help identify what changes should be implemented moving forward, and help implement those steps for or with you. It is possible to enjoy the holiday season while managing your diabetes. Taking some extra steps to control your diabetes can leave you feeling healthier, with more energy, and being able to enjoy more time participating in the holiday festivities. Balance, moderation, and ongoing reviewing and implementation are key.

Contact Pathway Patient Advocates today, we are ready to help with your health for the holidays. 

Health For The Holidays

Enjoying the season when your loved one is in the hospital

The holiday season is truly my favorite time of year. The friend and family get-togethers, the music and decorating, and events throughout the community. I remember working in the hospital every year at Christmas time, the hospital environment felt extra welcoming.

However, if your loved one is in the hospital, it’s a very different experience. I remember my brother recently being in the hospital due to his cancer. He was admitted just after Thanksgiving, and with everything going on, celebrating the holidays was the last thing I wanted to do. 

When a loved one is in the hospital 
Whether it’s your parent, child, spouse, grandparent, friend, or anyone else, having a loved one in the hospital is tough. As a loved one, there are often feelings of helplessness, disconnectedness, being overwhelmed, as well as depression. You want to be there and help your loved one as much as possible, but obstacles continue to present in your path. During the holiday season, these burdens often feel heavier. You are likely not celebrating the holidays the same way you did in the past while your loved one is in the hospital. Your loved one may not be feeling up to spending time with you as before.

There are a lot of unknowns and the daily life events continue to circle around like a whirlwind, often leaving people feeling unseen and overwhelmed.

Making the Best of it
The best thing that you can do for your loved one is to try to make the best of it. Even little things can have a huge impact on supporting your loved one in their health journey. Try to find time to spend with your loved one. Even if they are not up to or able to socialize, consider visiting them and reading a magazine or book by their side while they rest. Work on a craft for them, or write them a note. If they don’t mind the noise, watch a movie next to them, even if they fall asleep. This is the help your loved you will appreciate. Knowing their friends and families are supporting them. Consider hiring a private patient advocate for your loved one. This will allow you the time to spend with your loved one and not be wrapped up in all the hectic and tedious work of navigating their health journey. Let a private patient advocate take that burden away from you and your loved one, so that you can enjoy the available time together. If you are unfamiliar with how a private patient advocate can help, learn more here.  

Think of things you can modify to still celebrate the holidays with your loved one. Often, hospitals will allow special foods to be brought in and accommodate family and friends putting up decorations in rooms etc. Depending on the status of your loved one’s health, you may also be able to leave the hospital with your loved one for a few hours, or at the very least, go outside or down to a recreational area or cafe. A new scenery is a great way to perk up someone’s mood. 

Find time to Care for yourself
As a mom, I often get so wrapped up in caring for my children that I forget to take care of myself. As much as we hear that self-care is important, it’s easy to push it on the back burner. To help and support others, it is important to stay healthy yourself. That means physical and mental health. 

Think of small things that you can do to help relax each day, stay active, and eat healthy. This will help support your mood and overall outlook on things. You will be best prepared to handle anything that comes your way. A private patient advocate can decrease your to-do list and offer you more time to practice self-care.  

Contact Pathway Patient Advocates, we would love to help you with your health for the holidays. 

September is Sepsis Awareness Month. Sepsis has gained increasing awareness over the past 25 years. Despite this, there is still much to improve in how to best prevent and manage sepsis. Knowledge is key and can help prevent death from this suddenly presenting and rapidly progressing condition. 

What is Sepsis

Sepsis is defined as a rapidly progressing, life-threatening condition that occurs when the body overreacts to an infection. This can quickly lead to widespread organ damage and even death.  There are different terms associated with sepsis. 

• Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS): SIRS is an exaggerated defense response that your body experiences secondary to a stressor. This leads to inflammation throughout your body.  There are various types of stressors that can trigger SIRS, including infection, surgery, and cancer.
• Sepsis: When the source of the inflammation is an infection, the proper term is Sepsis.
  You may think that “infection” is quite general. So, what type of infection are we referring to?  Well, Sepsis can be caused by any one of a variety of infections.
  • Common causes of infection are
    • Urinary tract infections (UTI), such as bladder infections
    • Pneumonia
    • Wounds (from skin breakdowns or surgical wound infections)
• Severe Sepsis: Severe sepsis occurs when signs of organ damage are present in conjunction with sepsis. Any organ can be affected, and many times, more than one organ system is affected. Some possible organs include the kidneys, heart, brain, lungs, and liver.
• Septic Shock: This is the most severe form of sepsis, where the body develops an extreme reaction to an infection.  Septic shock can cause dangerously low blood pressure, and immediate medical care is needed.

How Serious Is Serious?

Sepsis can develop very quickly and can become life-threatening. Immediately, medical care and evaluation are necessary. The critical window for starting treatment for severe sepsis is within 3 hours; the sooner the better. 

According to a 2024 article published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, septic shock still carries a greater than 40% mortality rate. 

Know the Signs

Knowledge is power and can save lives. It is important to become familiar with the signs of sepsis and what to look out for. A widely used acronym to help remember the symptoms of sepsis is TIME:

TIME

Temperature- This includes a temperature that is EITHER higher (like a fever) or lower than normal. Often, the lower-than-normal body temperature is forgotten about as a symptom.

Infection- Even a suspected source of an infection counts. You do not have to have a confirmed infection. For example, if someone has burning with urination, but no confirmed bladder infection yet, this would still count as meeting infection criteria for concern.

Mental Decline- This includes acting out of the ordinary. Especially in the elderly, confusion is often the first sign of an infection. Symptoms of mental decline include confusion, sleepiness, and difficulty waking.

Extremely ill-This includes symptoms such as severe pain, discomfort, or shortness of breath. 

A combination of the symptoms above warrants concern for sepsis. 

Working Together

Working together helps save lives. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of sepsis, contact immediate medical help and say let a medical professional know that you are: Concerned about sepsis.

Timely intervention is key. Starting treatments, including antibiotics and IV fluids immediately, has been shown to drastically reduce the progression to septic shock and decrease mortality. 

Despite sepsis being a medical emergency, there is still much room for education in both the clinical field and the community. Do not be afraid to share knowledge and speak up. Many resources are available to remind of sepsis criteria that can be placed on refrigerators or pockets.  If your loved one has a companion caregiver or home aid, check with them to see if they are familiar with what signs to be aware of that may indicate sepsis. 

Be prepared and work together with your team. A private patient advocate can assist with implementing measures to help prevent sepsis and improve communication.

Managing and optimizing your health can be challenging with any condition, and ADHD is no different. Living with ADHD brings its own hurdles in many areas of life, including emotional, social, academic, and professional. Fortunately, you do not have to navigate ADHD alone. A private patient advocate can help you understand and better manage your condition. 

How common is ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, abbreviated ADHD, is a widely known diagnosis. In the United States alone, about 6.5 million children are currently diagnosed with ADHD. What is less commonly known is that many adults also suffer from ADHD. In 2024, approximately 15.5 million adults were diagnosed with ADHD in the United States.

Understanding ADHD

There are different types of ADHD. Three main types include: (1) predominantly inattentive presentation, which involves trouble with focusing and forgetfulness. (2) predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation, which involves hyperactivity and impulsivity, but fewer issues with attention, (3) combined presentation, a mix of both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive presentation.

Common symptoms of ADHD. You may have some or all of these.

•Difficulty focusing: This involves trouble starting or finishing tasks. Often easily being distracted by sound, your thoughts, or your surroundings. In addition, frequently losing things or forgetting details. 

•Issues with managing time: Some examples are consistently arriving late to things, procrastinating, and doing things last minute. 

•Being impulsive: Impulsivity is often displayed as speaking or acting without thinking. Interrupting conversations and making hasty decisions

•Emotional issues: Mood swings, difficulty calming down, or being easily frustrated are examples of this.

• Low self-esteem: Sometimes, ADHD comes with the feeling of not being good enough. Often this includes overly worrying and internalizing criticism.

•Difficulty with relationships: ADHD often struggles with communication and conflict resolution.

•Struggles with academics and in the workplace: Difficulties with staying on task and being disorganized are some examples of this.  

Obtaining an adequate diagnosis

There are many resources available as a child to assist in identifying and diagnosing ADHD as a child. Teachers and healthcare professionals often look for signs that children may need a referral for an ADHD evaluation. But what about as an adult?  What happens if you were not diagnosed as a child, and now an adult, you feel you may have ADHD?

Dealing with ADHD (especially undiagnosed ADHD) as an adult can be extremely challenging. It may interfere with your ability to adequately work, build, and maintain relationships. While resources are not as known, they are available. 

There are several steps involved in diagnosing ADHD, including finding a qualified professional who is experienced with diagnosing ADHD. This can include your primary care provider, licensed therapist, or psychiatrist. Many of these professionals may have more experience in dealing with children with ADHD. Therefore, it is important to find one that has experience in managing adults with ADHD. The diagnosis involves undergoing a detailed clinical evaluation. Neuropsychological testing is also sometimes used.

Optimizing your management

Once a diagnosis is made, now you have to figure out how to best manage it and make changes in your lifestyle to improve your quality of life.  This entails various potential options including medications. Medications involve a class of medications called stimulants. Stimulant medications ***. Non-stimulant medications are also sometimes used. Cognitive behavioral therapy is coaching or skills training is another option to help assist with time management and organization. ADHD management also involves lifestyle adjustments with sleep, exercise, and mindfulness.

Work with a Private Patient Advocate

A private patient advocate can help you put the pieces together and walk with you to navigate your condition from start to finish and ongoing. Whether you have a diagnosis and your ADHD is not managed the way you want it, or if you are unsure if the diagnosis of ADHD is what you have. We can help you explore whether you have ADHD or another condition. Your situation, condition, and life are unique and so are we. We will personalize our approach specifically to what you need. Whether you or your child needs help with ADHD, we are here to advocate for you. Call Pathway Patient Advocates today (947) 517-8395.

Given a diagnosis that just doesn’t seem right for you? Maybe your symptoms don’t add up to what your doctor told you? Or…maybe you were diagnosed with a rare disease and not offered much treatment or support.  If this sounds all too familiar, then continue reading…

Sadly, this happens far too often.  Why? Well, there are many reasons why this may occur:

1. Medicine is an art, and doctors and other healthcare providers use examination and tests to lead to a diagnosis that best fits the puzzle. Sometimes the answer is not exactly black and white. Every human is unique, and many times so are their symptoms. Patients do not always fit the diagnostic algorithm.  

2. The demands of today’s fast-paced healthcare system leave little time for healthcare providers to spend hours investigating each patient’s unique case to figure out the best outcome.  Unfortunately, office visits are often crunched into 15 minutes or fewer timeframes, patients are squeezed in last-minute, perhaps double-booked, and don’t forget short-staffed facilities. The struggle is real! Even when healthcare providers want to dedicate the extra time to dig deep into your specific case, the healthcare system logistics make it nearly impossible.  While some hospitals do have scheduled meetings where challenging cases are discussed among specialists, this does not happen in all hospitals, and is especially rare in primary care offices. While patients may be referred when necessary to the appropriate specialists in the area of need, this does not always happen.

3. The complexity of medicine is another reason that misdiagnosis occurs or rare disorders are inadequately managed. There are constant ongoing advances in technology and research, and new diagnoses are being discovered.  It is essentially impossible for every healthcare provider to keep up with each and every advancement. 

How It Affects You, The Patient
Despite the many reasons why people get misdiagnosed or undermanaged, the end results are essentially the same.  The patient is often left with feelings of defeat, exasperation, exhaustion, abandonment, anhedonia, and depression.  Any one of these alone is a horrible feeling. So what do you do?? This is where a private patient advocate can help.

What is a Private Patient Advocate

A private patient advocate is an experienced healthcare professional who provides unbiased assistance to help navigate your path to better health and achieve your personal goals. A private patient advocate does not work for an insurance company or hospital; therefore, their priority is you.     

How can a Private Patient Advocate help in a situation of misdiagnosis or rare diagnosis?

A private patient advocate can help in several ways.  To highlight just a few:

Finding the right care
At Pathway Patient Advocates, you have access to not 1 but 2 patient advocates; therefore, your advocates are experienced not only in the medical aspect of healthcare but also in the administrative side, including insurance and billing.  The experienced patient advocates can help you locate providers and resources that can help address your specific situation best, as well as in the most cost-efficient way for you.

Experience
It is important to find a private patient advocate who has experience in advocating for patients who have been misdiagnosed or have a rare disorder.  Advocates with this experience may have already had clients similar to you and have increased knowledge of the situation.  

Saving time and money
With an atypical diagnosis, time is of the essence. Often, the sooner you can find a proper diagnosis and good management plan, the better chance you will have in managing symptoms, treatment, and quality of life.  A private patient advocate can efficiently help you find the resources that you need, as they have the process and tools required to do so. This, in the end, will save you both money and, more importantly, time.  

Personal Support
With a private patient advocate, you are not going through this challenge alone.  A private patient advocate is here for you to walk side-by-side and assist you through your path. Even if you are fortunate enough to have family or friends by your side, it is comforting to know that you have your very own private patient advocate with you looking out for your best interests. Your private patient advocate can take some worry away from you, so that you can spend quality time with the people and things you enjoy doing. The healthcare system is challenging, but you don’t have to go through it alone.