Ailene Gerhardt Ailene Gerhardt

The Seasonal Tool: Your Summer Travel Healthcare Advocacy Audit

With summer travel season in full swing, it’s easy to focus entirely on packing lists and itineraries while leaving healthcare logistics behind. To help you stay entirely proactive, I've designed a comprehensive, beautifully organized checklist to keep your health logistics seamlessly on track while you're away from home.

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Ailene Gerhardt Ailene Gerhardt

Managing Your Health Shouldn’t Require This Much Fight

...Then January 2026 arrived. When I used the specialty pharmacy’s online renewal tool, I was told my copay would now be $700 for the same medication. Same dose. Same pharmacy. Same insurance plan type. Different calendar year.

This is the moment many patients freeze, especially those of us already juggling lab results, symptoms, appointments, fatigue, and the emotional weight of chronic illness. But instead of accepting the number at face value, I paused and asked: What changed, and what options do I have?

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Ailene Gerhardt Ailene Gerhardt

“Don’t Confuse Your Google Search with My Medical Degree”

October is Health Literacy Month, an international observance dedicated to increasing awareness and improving the ability of individuals to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make informed health decisions. Health literacy influences everything from following medication instructions to navigating emergencies.

In recognition of Health Literacy Month, a small moment from a recent doctor’s visit stood out to me. On the exam room counter, I spotted a mug that read: “Don’t confuse your Google search with my medical degree.”

It made me laugh because it’s true. Yet behind the humor is a serious and growing reality in healthcare today. More than ever, patients arrive at appointments armed with information, questions, and sometimes anxiety fueled by late-night online searches.

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