New companies or organizations begin to build their brand with a mission/vision statement that succinctly indicates their reason for being. Let me do this simply with this list of reasons...
1. To inspire hope and positivity.
When I tell people about my experiences in medical school, and then training in pathology and general surgery, I often hear their healthcare system horror stories where a poor or unexpected outcome happened to family or friends. Because we live in a climate where the delivery of healthcare is fraught with challenges, we as patients or caretakers of patients need to take an active role in pulling the healthcare team together. This includes not only doctors and nurses, but extends to pharmacists, physical & occupational therapists, and the money folks: hospital financial services, insurance reps and maybe a financial advisor or lawyer skilled in elder law. We all hope this doesn't necessitate a bankruptcy attorney.
2. To give practical approaches to solving the many problems of aging in the USA.
As a medical writer, my core competency is studying the medical language, which can be vague at times, and certainly evolving. We don't have to use a Latin dictionary anymore. In fact, we don't need to buy a medical dictionary, since the Internet is readily available for most of us.
As patients and/or caregivers, we need to develop a skill in communicating our needs and concerns, and this requires knowing the relevant terms. I find myself having to educate my personal physician about the intricacies of Medicare reimbursement, a subject woefully ignored in medical training. What happens sometimes if a patient doesn't take a medication for whatever reason including not having the money, he/she is labeled "non-compliant."
This is not a theoretical exercise for me as what I'm presenting are problems that I need to solve, and I think I've found a way to a workable answer. I don't preach or teach or give advice, but rather try to give you the right questions to ask of the right people. Sometimes just letting them know that you're on top of things works in your favor. But, you've got to know their language.
3. To make my life more interesting by engaging a widening circle of people.
My strongest trait is curiosity, and I like to write about a variety of topics including food, movies, music, all the cultural things that are worth exploring. I'm a firm believer in lifelong learning. The Ancient Greeks had a notion, predating Aristotle, of "eudaimonia," or living a flourishing life. It's about growing and thriving in the world, expanding your universe. I find in my elder years (I'm 67), I have the perspective to embrace complexity without feeling frustrated or daunted by the task. I'm learning a new language (Italian), taking keyboard lessons, and pursuing my passion for the visual arts by doing ink drawings and watercolor painting.
Besides, this blog, I'll be producing some written material for download and creating a YouTube channel. I hope that you'll support this effort so that I can share my vision and spread my message to as many folks as possible.
Take care.
