By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: (Crowd)Funding Patients to Attend Medical Conferences?…Now That’s a Great Idea
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Medical Education > (Crowd)Funding Patients to Attend Medical Conferences?…Now That’s a Great Idea
Medical EducationNews

(Crowd)Funding Patients to Attend Medical Conferences?…Now That’s a Great Idea

psalber
psalber
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

I’m a physician and have spent a lot of time over the years attending Medical Conferences talking to my colleagues about stuff we can do for and to patients.  As I look back on these meetings, I must say, with few exceptions, the folks we were talking about – the patients – were not there.

I’m a physician and have spent a lot of time over the years attending Medical Conferences talking to my colleagues about stuff we can do for and to patients.  As I look back on these meetings, I must say, with few exceptions, the folks we were talking about – the patients – were not there.

Here’s a recent example.  I attended a Patient Engagement panel at a big conference on Accountable Care Organizations in Washington DC this summer. There were four speakers and a moderator – all health care people – not a patient in sight. Imagine spending an hour or so debating how to engage patients when there were no actual patients on the panel.  Pretty funny, except it isn’t.

Some folks would argue that we are all patients, so why do we need more patients to attend medical meetings.  Because, I would argue, even though I am a patient and my doctor and nurse friends are patients, we are also health professionals.  We understand the jargon.  We know what to expect from the illness and the treatment.  We know how to work the system.  And, probably most significant of all, our doctors know we are doctors and nurses and they treat us differently.

More Read

Mosquito-Dissecting Robot May Bring Malaria Vaccine Closer to Reality
Text Messaging Helping to Keep People Healthy
Is a Career in Naturopathic Medicine Right for You?
Mobile Health Around the Globe: Raiing Thermometer From China Continuously Monitors Temperature
Meaningful Use and Mobile Apps

So I was really glad to learn that The Society for Participatory Medicine has established a Travel Scholarship fund so to help patients attend medical meetings and conferences.  What a good idea.

To support them in this effort, I have worked with Regina Holliday, an extraordinary patient advocate, to set up a Health Tech Hatch Crowdfunding Campaign to raise money so that patients can attend the upcoming (first ever) first-ever Partnership with Patients Summit in Kansas City, Mo., on September 21-23, 2012. 

Health Tech Hatch is my new Crowdfunding and Beta Testing platform that supports entrepreneurs and innovators in Health and Health Tech.  Crowdfunding is a cutting edge way to raise money for worthy projects and companies.  Instead of a few wealthy people giving a lot of money, crowdfunding platforms facilitate many people giving a little.   The small contributions add up over time and can become significant dollars.  Crowdfunding democratizes fund-raising and lets everyone have a chance to participate in supporting great ideas that catch their fancy.

So back to this Campaign.  Regina hopes to raise $5,000 by September 15 for that 10 patients to attend the Partnership with Patients Summit.  The money will go into the Society’s Travel fund and because the Society is a 501c3, the donations can be listed on your income tax return as a charitable donation.

Grantees will be based on review of a 500 word essay, posted to their blog, that explains why they would be a strong candidate for the scholarship to the Partnership with Patients Summit. Applicants will send a link from their at blog post, either by Facebook or Twitter to @ReginaHolliday.  She will send it on to the other  members of the Society’s review committee. Posts must be live on the blog by September 8th to be considered for the scholarship for this event.

It is easy to make a donation to this Campaign via Health Tech Hatch even though the site is currently in private beta testing.  Wee believe this Campaign is so important that we do everything we can to help you access the site.  Send me an email, psalber@healthtechhatch.com and I will register you as a “Verified User”  and send you a return email with the link to the funding page.  Click on the link and back this project.

This project must be fully funded by September 15 to access any of the funds raised.  (If it fails to reach the goal of $5,000,  contributions will be refunded to the donors.)  If the project is fully funded before the deadline, Health Tech Hatch will make an additional $500 donation, thus helping one more patient to attend the conference.

Help us Help Patients attend Partnership with Patients.  You will be glad you did (and so will we).

BTW, here is a great video of Regina explaining why it is so important that we have (empowered) patient advocates:

 

The post (Crowd)Funding Patients to Attend Medical Conferences?…Now That’s a Great Idea appeared first on The Doctor Weighs In.

TAGGED:medical conferencespatients
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Major Medicare Fraud Bust Just the Latest Lesson in Problematic Healthcare Spending

May 4, 2012
brain research
Medical DevicesMedical InnovationsNewsTechnology

Medtronic Advances Deep Space Exploration – Of the Human Brain

September 1, 2013

Anxiety of Hope? Drinking from the “Fire Hose” of Cancer News

June 7, 2014
Occupational Therapy Assistant | Medical Assistant | Home Health Aide
Medical Education

In-Demand Healthcare Support Jobs

April 16, 2016
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?