MY MISSION IS TO EMPOWER PATIENTS TO BETTER ENGAGE WITH CLINICIANS, CLINICIANS TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH PATIENTS, AND ACADEMICS TO BETTER TRANSLATE RESEARCH FINDINGS.
Keynotes can include a 45-minute talk with 15-minutes of Q/A, an hour presentation, or an interactive workshop on the following topics.
My name is Marleah, and I am a professor, researcher, and patient. A little over 10 years ago, I tested positive for an inherited gene mutation, which greatly increases my lifetime risks for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
Testing positive forced me to make health decisions based on an uncertain future. I now know firsthand what it’s like to navigate our complex healthcare system and continually communicate between and among my many clinicians; this is why I speak to healthcare providers. My goal is to help clinicians communicate effectively to reduce miscommunication in healthcare and improve patients’ better health experiences and outcomes. When I am not speaking, you can find me traveling or hiking with my family. I look forward to connecting and being a part of your next event so that, together we can create a healthcare culture of effective communication and improve health outcomes.
Studies show that miscommunication accounts for 80% of medical errors. On average, clinicians spend 18 minutes or less with their patients. This leaves patients feeling unheard and unimportant.
Leveraging my decade of research and my own patient story, this inspirational talk demonstrates that communication isn’t a one-time exchange of information, and while time may be limited in healthcare, I teach 5 communication skills —which when implemented—increase patients’ satisfaction and enhance their overall health experiences.
While life is uncertain, every day, we must make decisions. Yet instead of being afraid of uncertainty, we can embrace it. By drawing on my personal experiences with an inherited gene mutation increasing my lifetime risk for hereditary cancer and my health communication research, I teach how to make decisions based on uncertain—and sometimes surprising—information in 3 steps.
Many academics want to make a difference but are unsure how to effectively communicate their research results with public. Leveraging my decade of research and my own patient story, in this workshop, I teach 4 strategies for sharing research with the public. I conclude by providing an action plan for personalizing these strategies.
I am unable to advise on specific healthcare concerns or treatment plans. All insights and findings listed on the website are my own.
