PASSION FOR PATIENTS
Be the Change
Krista Hughes -BCPA
Board Certified Patient Advocate, Healthcare Coach and Speaker
Our Mission at Hughes Advocacy is to educate and empower patients to be proactive with their health, not reactive. By providing patients with resources, we help them make informed medical decisions that enhance their lives, ensuring they receive the best patient experience, safety, and quality of care that they need and deserve. Our goal is to be your voice and put you back at the center of your care. It is time to put the care back in healthCARE!
Krista Hughes, BCPA, a board-certified patient advocate and founder & CEO of Hughes Advocacy, was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Beccera, to serve a three-year term on the National Advisory Council (NAC) for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). A resident of Birmingham, Ms. Hughes is the first Alabamian known to have ever served on the prestigious council that addresses the quality of care in the United States. Please see the Press Release Here.
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Test your healthcare knowledge to see if an advocate is right for you. All answers are anonymous, and please DO NOT cheat! Click here to take the poll now!
What is the difference between proactive and reactive care? Why does it matter to you?
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When you are proactive, YOU choose to eliminate health concerns BEFORE they occur! Being proactive, you have a choice!
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When you are reactive, you are responding to a health concern AFTER it has happened to you. You do not have a choice.
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Proactive Patients = They manage their health before a crisis occurs or the prognosis is bad. You are saving your life and money!
Reactive Patients = They are in damage control. You cost your life and money!
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Some reports indicate that medical errors can increase your health care spend by 30%. Not only are you paying more co-pays and seeing additional doctors; there could be out of pocket expenses like outpatient therapies, home health, or medications not covered by insurance.
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I have a passion for patients, and I want to help save your life!
If you want to be a Proactive Patient, click here for a free 15-minute consultation
Did You Know...
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Up to 80 percent of serious medical errors can be attributed to miscommunication.
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Preventable medical errors are the 3rd leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer.
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Medication errors harm 1.5 million people annually.
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40% of all recommended surgeries are unnecessary?
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Hospitals with low Medicare ratings have higher rates of death?
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13,150 people die from preventable causes in hospitals every day
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88% of second opinions are different
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22 people a minute are misdiagnosed
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1 in 3 Patients Needlessly Suffer or Die from Preventable "Adverse Events.
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Below are the Most Common Medical Errors, and they are predicted to increase in 2021:
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A Missed or Delayed Diagnosis::
This occurs when a doctor fails to identify a medical condition at the time they're presented with it. Or does not diagnose a patient within a reasonable amount of time. 12 million US adults experience a diagnostic error every year, 10 -20 % are patients with severe health conditions, 44% are some cancer misdiagnosis, and 33% suffer severe damage or death with misdiagnosed in their primary care setting.
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Medication Errors:
Any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the healthcare professional's control. Medication errors affect 1.5 million people each year.
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Hospital-Acquired Infection:
This is a risk of almost any hospital stay or medical procedure.
"NEVER" Events
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Below are what I like to call "NEVER' events....they should "never" happen to you while you are in the hospital. A Board Certified Patient Advocate can educate you and your loved ones in hopes that they 'NEVER' happen to you! Click on each below to learn more.
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Medication Mix-ups