Pharmafile Logo

Getting Past the Old-Fashioned View of Patient Advocacy

Patient advocacy organizations today are data-driven, doing amazing work — and have the hard evidence to support their impact on patient care. The challenge is getting past the perception of a group of people “bringing biscuits and cookies to the cancer clinic.”

To read Medscape’s White Paper on patient-centricity in oncology care in collaboration with Lorna Warwick, CEO of the Lymphoma Coalition.

- PMLiVE

“I never had that burning desire to be a CEO,” says Ann-Marie Baird, President of the patient advocacy organization Lung Cancer Europe. It still surprises her sometimes that she has the title, but she says she knows certain things about herself. “I’m a natural leader as in, if there’s a group and we can’t figure out where to go for dinner, I can take it for only so long. And then I’m like, ‘OK, this is what we’re doing!’” Baird naturally steps into that role, and says she’s grown within that framework at the patient organizations she’s worked with. “Each step wasn’t necessarily about a bigger title, but rather, how can I do more? I often struggled in certain roles because I didn’t have the power to make the decisions. So my thought was, ‘How do I change that when I’m looking at my next role?’”

In episode 4 of Medscape Education’s Women in Healthcare Leadership series, Baird is joined by Lorna Warwick, CEO of Lymphoma Coalition, a global network of roughly 90 patient advocacy organizations spanning 55 countries. They talk candidly about their different paths into patient advocacy, how they became healthcare leaders, the challenges they faced along the way, and how they overcame them. And they share advice and a few of the keys to their success. (Such as, never take anything personally, and don’t be afraid to reach out for help.)

Warwick says one of the reasons she’s a good fit for her job is because she “likes to learn,” and there’s been so much activity in the patient advocacy space that it provides her a lot of opportunities to keep exploring. Plus, she says, she’s “really good at looking at the data and having conversations with people and seeing overall what the issues are and how can we address them perhaps in a different way.”

Warwick and Baird both say that much of their work involves looking at data—which surprises most people outside of the advocacy world. One of their biggest leadership challenges is overcoming the lingering old-fashioned perception of patient organizations as a group of people sitting around a kitchen table figuring out how to bring biscuits and cookies into the cancer clinic. (Not that there’s anything wrong with cookies and biscuits, they agree.)

But when you have the data to back up your points, it’s so much easier to convince stakeholders—whether that’s pharma doing their drug development, or doctors treating patients in a clinic— that “this isn’t just something we’ve heard, it’s not just something I feel. But look, I have data, just like you have data on the efficacy of this medication, I have data on what this means to a patient and how they experience it. Let’s figure out how to close those things so we can give the patient the best experience,” Warwick says.

Amplifying the voice of the patient—their personal experiences, the issues they’re facing—and ensuring that their needs are addressed, is the beating heart of both organizations. “My mission is to try and translate that in such a way that it’s going to have the biggest impact,” says Baird. “So whether it’s patient-driven research, or talking to different stakeholders or policymakers, I see my mission, and advocacy, as being that bridge.”

Hosted by Victoria Harvey-Jones, Associate Director of Clinical Strategy at Medscape Oncology Global

You won’t want to miss this conversation. Listen now via MedscapeApple or Spotify.

Follow us for updates on upcoming podcasts and more insightful conversations. For more information, please contact Jelena Spyropoulos (Global) or Piyali Shin (US).

About Medscape Education Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free accredited CME and CE courses for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

This content was provided by Medscape Education

Company Details

 Latest Content from  Medscape Education 

Medscape Education Announces Virtual Conference Focused on Elevating Women’s Healthcare

Medscape Education announces a new virtual conference focused on equipping clinicians with the latest advances in women's health.

Medscape presents Digital Health in Practice: Impact & Insights at Reuters #Pharma2020

Medscape will be attending the Reuters Events Pharma 2022 conference from 11 – 13 October at Nice Acropolis Convention Center in Nice, France. The Medscape Professional Network will connect with...

A powerful care platform connects medical professionals and patients

Education platforms that disseminate the latest advances in cardiovascular medicine to cardiologists, physicians and healthcare professionals are helping deliver better outcomes for heart patients.

Rare diseases: making a difference through education

Medscape Education team up with The Guardian to launch a Rare Disease campaign in the UK.

It’s a Medscape wrap for #EADVCongress

Medscape was on-site at this year’s EADV conference in Milan, with educational activities and a booth to connect with healthcare professionals.At our booth, we spoke with attendees about Medscape and...

Medscape Oncology Bids Au Revoir to ESMO for Another Year

ESMO is the leading professional organisation for medical oncology. With more than 25,000 members representing oncology professionals from over 160 countries worldwide, ESMO is the society of reference for oncology education and...

Medscape Education: An ESC to Remember

ESC 2022 is now a wrap! The Medscape team was on site with a booth on the exhibit floor, educational symposia, and a Tapas and Trends event where faculty shared...

MedscapeLIVE! to Host “Neurology Exchange” Virtual Conference

Leading Neurology Faculty to Present Clinical Updates and Management Strategies for Key Neurological Conditions

Medscape: Education that delivers skin in the game #EADVCongress

Medscape Education Global to Present Symposia and Posters at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 2022 (EADV)

New independent survey shows strong Medscape Professional Network usage among UK doctors

The latest results of the GP and Hospital Doctor Media Surveys reveal that the Medscape Professional Network* (MPN) is amongst the leading destinations for doctors in the UK. Of those surveyed,...