“Navigating the intricate maze of the medical system has been more than a professional journey for me; it has been a personal quest.”
Shailavi Jain
My Story
I am a pharmacist by profession and have a fairly diverse background within healthcare.
However, my career path changed after my daughter suffered a concussion and developed post-concussion syndrome. We hit a wall with the standard course of treatment, saw multiple medical providers, and either the solutions had lasting adverse effects, or were not effective.
It was at this time that I realized I needed to take control of my daughter’s health situation. I was determined to find other options that could help. I utilized my healthcare background to research her condition, find other providers, and look for approaches that would support and help her heal.
Later, when a family member was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease, with complications such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mold (CIRS), histamine or mast cell-related issues, and eye tracking issues that made reading difficult, and we could not find answers, I knew I had the skillset to research options and find providers to help us navigate the myriad of symptoms. It was not always easy or the first approach that worked, however, I persisted in looking for the right treatment and options.
My family and friends' encounters with the medical system have provided me with a profound understanding of the challenges individuals and their loved ones face in the pursuit of good health and wellness. I realized how challenging it would be for those without a healthcare-related background to navigate and research all of the obstacles that we encountered. It was at this time, that I decided I wanted to utilize my experience and healthcare background to help others, and became a Board Certified Patient Advocate.
As an independent, board-certified patient advocate, I am committed to every client I serve. My sole dedication is to you, utilizing a client-centered approach that places your needs front and center. With no ties to clinics, hospitals, insurance companies, pharmacies, or facilities, my focus remains solely on advocating for your best interests.
I will explore treatment options that match your preferences and needs. Whether you prefer conventional medicine and seek a suitable physician and treatment, or lean towards a more holistic approach with fewer prescription medications, I will help you find the right path for your health journey.
My role is to educate and empower you based on your unique circumstances, enabling you to make well-informed decisions for yourself or your loved ones. Whether it's medication information or navigating the complex healthcare system, I am here to lend my expertise.
With a foundation in healthcare and proficiency in navigating the system, I am uniquely positioned to be an advocate. I am passionate about listening to my clients and finding options and choices that feel right for them by making sure their voices are heard.
I would be honored to assist each of my clients in the same manner that I did for my friends and family.
Professional History
My journey as a pharmacist has taken me beyond the traditional role of medication dispensing. Instead, my focus has been on education, safety, and optimization of healthcare practices. In the nursing home setting, I reviewed each patient's medications for adverse events and drug interactions. Concerned with the adverse drug events I was seeing, I took a position with a non-profit organization, managing a study in 18 nursing homes looking at the types of adverse drug events occurring and the risk factors associated with these events for these patients. These results were later published in JAMA. I also taught students of all ages (from 18 to 80 years old) interested in working as pharmacy techs about diseases, medications, and more. My experience working in the nursing home setting and later at a pharmaceutical company in drug safety have honed my expertise in scrutinizing medications for adverse events, drug interactions, and most importantly looking for optimal patient outcomes.
