With years of experience as a board-certified family physician in the Seattle and Chicago metropolitan areas, Dr. Vandenbosch has had the privilege of providing continuity of care for families — from office visit to hospital to skilled nursing facility to home. After graduating from the University of Washington School of Medicine, she completed a family practice residency program at Group Health Cooperative (now Kaiser Permanente) in Seattle, Washington, then practiced family medicine, including obstetrics, in Seattle followed by private practice in Hinsdale, Illinois. In addition, she provided chronic disease management and preventive care for medically underserved and immigrant communities as a physician volunteer at DuPage County Community Clinics.

 

“The most gratifying part of my practice as a family physician was educating and communicating with patients, coordinating and collaborating with specialists, and advocating for patients. I feel privileged to now assist clients in these same areas as a Board Certified Patient Advocate.”

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 Why Patient Advocacy

“With break-through advances in medicine and life-saving treatment options, healthcare delivery has become highly specialized. Patients with complex medical issues often receive care by multiple providers across different specialties and institutions. Seamless communication of medical history, test results, medications and treatment plan between physicians is critical in order to avoid medical errors, redundant testing, and adverse drug interactions. Unfortunately, time constraints, overwhelming patient loads, insurance and other bureaucratic pressures have made it extremely difficult for the primary care physician to provide consistent oversight, continuity and coordination of care across the medical system.”

 

A patient advocate on your medical team can help bridge communication, coordinate care, ensure understanding and facilitate well-informed decision making. Most importantly, if you or a family member is frightened, overwhelmed, or uncertain about how to proceed with a health concern, a patient advocate has the time available to listen to your concerns, answer questions and help you efficiently navigate the healthcare system.

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“As a physician, I have had first-hand experience with the complexity of our healthcare system, including the fractures and stressors that compromise quality care. After retiring from clinical practice, I felt that the logical next step was to fill this gap. I founded Summit Healthcare Advocates to help guide my clients safely through our complicated healthcare system to achieve their best possible outcome.”