Dorothy Kamaker from Patients Advocates Australia is a game changer.
Having a private patient advocate was a complete game changer. My medical care in rural South Australia was absolutely woeful and I was heading for life’s trash heap. My advocate Dorothy Kamaker had me admitted to a hospital in Adelaide and she completely changed the dynamics of the usual relationship between a patient and hospital staff. Suddenly they started listening and communicating. From “you’re going home tomorrow” to “we need to sort out your problems and concerns before we plan your discharge”. It took another 3 weeks, minor surgery and a several scans/procedures before I was ok to go home and am pain free for the first time in 4 years, I am on the mend and have a management plan. This week at my first post discharge clinic the specialist told me he’d referred 2 patients to Dorothy. She’s good. She’s an RN. She talks their languages and understands their system. They return her calls. I’ve got no gripes with the doctors or the nurses but the whole system is dysfunctional and you need someone on your side who they will listen to.