meet the panelists!
Misdiagnosis: The Hidden Epidemic | May 2, 2014
Trisha Torrey
Every Patient's Advocate, Founder
Trisha Torrey is Every Patient’s Advocate, a name she gave herself after a heinous misdiagnosis in 2004 which prompted her career change to patient empowerment and advocacy. Today she is About.com’s patient empowerment guide and the author of three books. Her first, You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes (How to Fix Them to Get the Healthcare You Deserve) was written to help patients. She has also written two business books for independent patient advocates. In 2009 she founded AdvoConnection.com to help patients and caregivers find a private, professional patient advocate to help them navigate the healthcare system. It is supported by The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates, an organization which provides business support to private health advocates as they start and grow their practices. Trisha has appeared on, or been quoted by CNN, NPR,MSNBC, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, Redbook, Health Magazine, Fox News, and other media. Find more information at EveryPatientsAdvocate.com.
Every Patient's Advocate, Founder
Trisha Torrey is Every Patient’s Advocate, a name she gave herself after a heinous misdiagnosis in 2004 which prompted her career change to patient empowerment and advocacy. Today she is About.com’s patient empowerment guide and the author of three books. Her first, You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes (How to Fix Them to Get the Healthcare You Deserve) was written to help patients. She has also written two business books for independent patient advocates. In 2009 she founded AdvoConnection.com to help patients and caregivers find a private, professional patient advocate to help them navigate the healthcare system. It is supported by The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates, an organization which provides business support to private health advocates as they start and grow their practices. Trisha has appeared on, or been quoted by CNN, NPR,MSNBC, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, Redbook, Health Magazine, Fox News, and other media. Find more information at EveryPatientsAdvocate.com.
Steven S. Overman, MD, MPH FACR
Director, The Seattle Arthritis Clinic
UW Professor of Clinical Medicine
Chief Rheumatology, Northwest/University of Washington Medical Center
Dr. Overman is a founding member of The Seattle Arthritis Clinic and chief of Rheumatology at Northwest/University of Washington Medical Center. He has practiced rheumatology in Seattle for 30 years and co-authored “You Don’t LOOK Sick! Living Well with Invisible Chronic Illness,” which was a finalist in the Health category of Best Books 2005 awarded by USA Book News with its second fully revised edition out in 2012. He is currently Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he completed the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars health services research fellowship. He obtained certification from the American Board of Utilization Review and Quality Assurance while he was medical director for Network Health Plan. He currently volunteers on the Arthritis Foundation board of directors and the Bree Implementation Committee of the Foundation for Health Care Quality.
Director, The Seattle Arthritis Clinic
UW Professor of Clinical Medicine
Chief Rheumatology, Northwest/University of Washington Medical Center
Dr. Overman is a founding member of The Seattle Arthritis Clinic and chief of Rheumatology at Northwest/University of Washington Medical Center. He has practiced rheumatology in Seattle for 30 years and co-authored “You Don’t LOOK Sick! Living Well with Invisible Chronic Illness,” which was a finalist in the Health category of Best Books 2005 awarded by USA Book News with its second fully revised edition out in 2012. He is currently Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he completed the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars health services research fellowship. He obtained certification from the American Board of Utilization Review and Quality Assurance while he was medical director for Network Health Plan. He currently volunteers on the Arthritis Foundation board of directors and the Bree Implementation Committee of the Foundation for Health Care Quality.
Bill Thatcher
Executive Director, Cautious Patient Foundation
Bill Thatcher brings more than two decades of innovative, executive-level experience as a consultant, strategic planner, facilitator and cross-cultural communicator to his role as executive director of the Cautious Patient Foundation. Bill has served as a successful consultant to non-governmental organizations in 45 countries, with an emphasis on long-range, engaging communication and intensive planning, and oversight of a multi-national staff. Prior to taking the helm at the Cautious Patient Foundation, Bill served as executive director of HeartStream Education, founder and director of Community Transitions, Inc., president and CEO of the Foundation for Community Encouragement, co-founder and executive director of the International Christian Media Commission, and co-founder and associate director of the International Development Organization.
Executive Director, Cautious Patient Foundation
Bill Thatcher brings more than two decades of innovative, executive-level experience as a consultant, strategic planner, facilitator and cross-cultural communicator to his role as executive director of the Cautious Patient Foundation. Bill has served as a successful consultant to non-governmental organizations in 45 countries, with an emphasis on long-range, engaging communication and intensive planning, and oversight of a multi-national staff. Prior to taking the helm at the Cautious Patient Foundation, Bill served as executive director of HeartStream Education, founder and director of Community Transitions, Inc., president and CEO of the Foundation for Community Encouragement, co-founder and executive director of the International Christian Media Commission, and co-founder and associate director of the International Development Organization.