In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Peak Performance Perspective sits down with Dana Sherwin, a healthcare management veteran who became an advocate for patient empowerment after navigating her own life-changing health crisis. With decades of experience on the administrative side of healthcare, Dana was well-versed in the system. But her perspective shifted drastically after she was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder that required a stem cell transplant. This experience taught her that, even with the best doctors and treatments, the true path to healing requires patients to be proactive and engaged in their own care.
Dana introduces us to her five-part framework for improving communication with healthcare providers, breaking down her approach to Preparation, Language, Questions, Participation, and Courage. She emphasizes that these steps aren’t just for those with serious diagnoses—they’re essential tools for anyone who wants to take charge of their health. Dana explains how coming to each appointment prepared, with relevant questions and a clear understanding of one’s health goals, can make the limited time with doctors far more effective. She also touches on how understanding basic medical language and terminology can empower patients to ask the right questions and understand complex information more easily.
Dana’s framework is based not only on her personal journey but also on evidence that patient engagement directly improves health outcomes. Through her method, Dana encourages listeners to cultivate “courage” in their health journey—the courage to ask difficult questions, the courage to speak up when they don’t understand, and the courage to advocate for themselves even in the face of uncertainty. Dana recounts moments when advocating for herself made a difference in her care, underscoring the importance of clear and open communication between patients and providers.
With a future vision centered around accessible healthcare communication, Dana’s mission is to make her framework and tools available to as many patients as possible. Her story is a testament to resilience and self-advocacy, as well as a reminder that we are all patients at some point in our lives. She believes that empowering patients to engage in their healthcare journey leads not only to better health outcomes but also to a more humane, effective healthcare system.
This episode offers an inspiring look at how patients can take control of their health journeys, and how the act of preparing, asking questions, and staying engaged can transform a daunting experience into one of empowerment and hope.
Offer:
I offer workshops to employers, business councils, nonprofit organizations, healthcare organizations, and associations interested in supporting people by giving them the skills, tools and strategies to communicate better with doctors. Workshops will include copies of The Thinking Patient Planner, a valuable journal-type guide to document physician appointment planning, among other features.
Meet our Guest:
Dana E. Sherwin is a consultant, speaker, and writer with expertise in the field of healthcare management and patient-physician communication. Over the past 35 years, she has held executive roles in healthcare organizations, including hospitals, managed care plans, and three of the largest public accounting/consulting firms in the country. She holds a Master of Health Services Administration degree from the University of Michigan's School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University. She is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Dana is a volunteer advisor with the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network, a member of the 2024 Journal of Patient Experience Editorial Review Board, and a peer reviewer for the Journal of Healthcare Management.
Connect with Her:
Linkedin: Dana E. Sherwin.
www.thethinkingpatient.com