Welcome to Ask the Patient!
Welcome to “Ask the Patient,” bridging the gap between medical expertise and lived patient experience.
I'm Sylvie—the first patient to lead a major academic research initiative. I secured $1.75 million in funding to address gaps in healthcare’s understanding of patients’ realities. Through a challenging cancer journey marked by numerous system breakdowns, I gained a profound understanding of why even well-intentioned systems can harm the very people they’re meant to heal—an insight uniquely shaped by my background in human-centered design and lived experience.
Now, with “Ask the Patient,” I reveal what medical literature overlooks to enable transformative change in healthcare delivery that enhances healthcare experiences for both patients and providers.
Essential reading if you are:
A healthcare provider wondering why patients struggle with care processes that seem straightforward to you
A patient with chronic or serious illness who feels dismissed, unseen, or lost while navigating healthcare systems
A family member or caregiver watching loved ones suffer from both illness and dysfunctional processes
What you'll find:
Revealing patient stories that expose invisible breakdowns in healthcare delivery
Systemic analysis that explains why well-intentioned care can still harm the people it's meant to heal
Transformative insights for bridging the gap between medical expertise and patient experience
About Me:
My unique perspective combines lived experience as a cancer survivor with expertise spanning human-centered design, systems engineering, and experiential research into human experience. As the first patient to lead a major academic research initiative, I've secured $1.75 million in funding to study healthcare gaps. I serve on editorial boards, keynote major medical conferences, teach continuing medical education courses, and publish in respected outlets—bridging worlds that rarely intersect.
Subscribe:
Subscribe to “Ask the Patient” to discover what healthcare is missing—insights that bridge medical expertise with a profound understanding of patient experience.
"Ask the Patient is essential reading for anyone who believes healthcare can and should improve. As a physician and healthcare executive, I have witnessed the urgent need for reform firsthand, and this newsletter offers a much-needed beacon of hope. The author highlights critical yet often overlooked factors contributing to poor health outcomes. Her personal journey adds depth to her eloquent and engaging writing. Don't miss Sylvie's invaluable insights—subscribe for fresh perspectives on building a more human-centered healthcare system." – David Price, MD
