Empowering Patients: How Self-Advocacy Improves Health Outcomes in Serious Illness

People living with serious illness often face complex decisions, multiple clinicians, and intense symptoms. Self-advocacy helps them voice their needs, ask questions, and participate in decisions that shape their care. This session introduces the core elements of patient self-advocacy, why it matters, and how it contributes to better outcomes—including improved communication, symptom management, and satisfaction with care.

Participants will learn practical approaches to support and strengthen patient advocacy during clinical encounters. Topics include communication techniques; simple tools such as question prompts and teach-back; and ways to address common barriers related to trust, health literacy, language access, and bias. The session concludes with actionable strategies that clinicians can use to help patients feel more confident and engaged in their care.