How to Make 2024 The Year of Advocating for Your Health and Wellness
Updated on December 22 2023. Reviewed by Morgan Spicer, Medical Communications Manager. To give you technically accurate, evidence-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.
We’ve all heard it before: “New year, new me.” And while it’s great to focus on healthy habits to help you feel your best, overhauling your routine with the all or nothing approach doesn’t always help it stick. Whether the resolutions you rang in the new year with are getting a little less shiny than they were or not, there’s another approach to take control of your health this year — and that’s by making it your year of self-advocacy.
Self-advocacy is simply the act of speaking up for oneself and interests. In a healthcare setting, it means being able to speak up to healthcare professionals about your symptoms, voicing concerns, and bringing up any questions you may have. Although the definition of self-advocacy may sound straightforward, the truth is speaking up and being your own health advocate can be scary at times.
Luckily, self-advocacy is a skill that gets more comfortable as you cultivate confidence to get the care you need and deserve. “You’re the leader of the team taking care of you,” said Dr. Carl Streed Jr, MD, MPH, whose work focuses on healthcare equity for marginalized communities. “That means asking as many questions as are needed to make sure you understand what is being discussed.”
If you’re looking for a place to start honing your self-advocacy skills this year, our blog series can help. Last year, we interviewed Dr. Carl Streed Jr for advice on how patients can best advocate for themselves along each step of the patient care journey. So whether you’re wondering how to best prepare for appointments, when to get a second opinion, or how to follow up post-appointment, check out the blogs below for the answers and to these questions and more:
- The complete checklist to prepare for your next doctor’s appointment
- 7 ways to best advocate for yourself at doctor’s appointments, according to an expert
- Want to follow up with your doctor post visit? An expert shares how to get the most value post-appointment
- Here’s how to get a second opinion (and when you should)
Another way to prioritize your health and self-advocacy is by utilizing telehealth visits and health memberships suited to your new year’s goals. Our Virtual Care Visits make it easy to get care from anywhere and you can schedule a telehealth visit with a licensed clinician to get the right tests, prescriptions, and lifestyle recommendations for you. Our new at-home lab testing membership allows you to test a wide range of health parameters as often as once a month. Try out Everlywell+ today!
Even though speaking up in a healthcare setting isn’t always easy, it’s a crucial factor of prioritizing your health. So unlike green juice cleanses or other fads, you can rest assured that the work you put in to hone your self-advocacy skills in 2024 will benefit your health and wellness for many years to come. And remember — we’re here for you every step of the way.
Related content:
- Your 2024 healthcare checklist
- Are Everlywell tests covered by FSA/HSA?
- STI symptoms you should never ignore
- Is telehealth cheaper than an office visit?
Originally published on December 27, 2022.
Morgan Spicer, Medical Communications Manager has over five years of experience in biomedical sciences, writing, and research. She attended graduate school at MUSC, focusing on the mechanisms behind human health and disease. She now works with Everly Health overseeing Medical Communications, where her passions for scientific and clinical literacy across all communities align with her skillset in biomedical sciences.