Ep. 152: How to Advocate for Better Healthcare
If you have ever been denied a medication, hit a wall with your insurance company, or just felt like the system was not built with you in mind, you are not imagining it. And you are not powerless. This episode is about what it actually looks like to take that frustration and do something with it.
Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta sit down with Nissa Shaffi, MS, Director of Advocacy at the Allergy & Asthma Network, to talk about what patient advocacy really means, how the healthcare system works as a whole, and how everyday people with allergies, asthma, and related conditions can learn to use their voice to push for real change.
This podcast was made in partnership with Allergy & Asthma Network.
What we cover in our episode about patient advocacy for allergy and asthma
Anyone can be an advocate. Advocacy is not just for politicians or lawyers. It is for anyone who sees a problem and wants to do something about it, from patients, caregivers, doctors, and everyday people alike.
Forms of advocacy, from social media to Capitol Hill. You do not have to fly to Washington to make a difference. Advocacy starts with education, storytelling, and showing up in whatever way you can.
How the healthcare system actually works. No single insurance company, hospital, or drug maker is to blame for everything. Understanding the whole system is what makes advocacy effective.
Why your story can change a law. Personal experience is one of the most powerful tools in advocacy. Real patient stories have driven landmark legislation and saved lives.
PALI, the Patient Advocacy Leadership Initiative. A free monthly program from the Allergy & Asthma Network that teaches patients the language, tools, and knowledge they need to advocate confidently at any level.
About Nissa Shaffi
Nissa Shaffi, MS, is the Director of Advocacy at the Allergy & Asthma Network, where she leads federal and state policy and advocacy initiatives. With a background spanning consumer protections, Medicaid policy, and health systems, Nissa has testified before the FDA and CDC and brings a systems-level perspective to the deeply personal work of patient advocacy.
More resources about Allergy & Asthma Network
PALI (Patient Advocacy Leadership Initiative):
AAN Advocacy Center, take action today!
Bills Allergy & Asthma Network is prioritizing this year:
See all the bills on the Network’s Advocacy page
Timestamps
Our episode discusses how to be an advocate for chronic disease
01:21 Meet Nissa Shaffi
04:05 What is an advocate
07:20 Can one person really make a difference
09:26 Types of advocacy
11:00 Sourcing trusted information
12:09 When patient stories become laws
14:09 What is PALI
22:08 What is a policy change
24:44 Bills AAN is supporting right now
27:10 How to join PALI
