@fitzpatrickjen
Account based inUnited States
About this account
- Account based in
- United States
- Connected via
- United States App Store
Account-level information from X, not a live location or the device used for a specific post.
Speaker. Author, @throughcruising Instructor, @johnshopkins. Advisory Bd Member @wearehfc As seen @abc @hlntv @cbsnews @siriusxm @wsj @iheartradio
Kent Island, MD
Joined February 2011
- Tweets3.1K
- Following984
- Followers375
- Likes7.4K
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
I’ve had more heartbreaking interactions with families than I care to recall, telling parents their kid will never wake up, or telling someone their spouse is permanently paralyzed, or that someone died in the OR. I’ll never forget the screams of a mother after I told her that her young son had died from a tragic accident. That sound haunts your dreams.
Yet none of that was as hard as explaining to families that they couldn’t be with their dying loved ones because of rules I was powerless to change. Making families say goodbye over an iPad broke many of us.
Those times were truly heartless.
6 years ago, my wife had a miscarriage. And I wasn’t allowed to be beside her when she found out.
Because of COVID restrictions.
@JennyErikson was ten weeks pregnant. We already had seven kids between us, but we couldn’t get enough. We had been to nearly EVERY ultrasound together for our other kids, but nope: “Only the technician and the patient can be in the room! Can’t be too careful!” So I stayed home with the other kids.
Then I got the text. Our baby had stopped developing at seven weeks.
We cried, talked through the options, and chose an outpatient procedure. But first, she needed a COVID test.
She spent another three to four days waiting for the result, carrying the body of our baby inside her. Grieving. Unable to sleep. Waiting.
When the procedure finally happened, I wasn’t allowed beside her then, either.
Somehow, Jenny still found a way to make me laugh on the drive over. She was the one going through all of this, and she was keeping our spirits up. You can see why I love her.
Since then, we’ve been blessed with two more children. And at some point, I’ll tell you about having a child in a hospital during COVID. That’s a story of its own.
But I still remember that text. Those days of waiting. My wife going through something heartbreaking while I was forbidden from being there.
The people who made those rules moved on. Families still carry the memories.
Never forget what they took from you. Never let it happen again.
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Amazing people make others feel appreciated. They know the power of an authentic “Thank you.” They know how recognizing and expressing appreciation makes others feel good.
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Most of the friction in healthcare comes from having a third party in the exam room who has never met you.
The clearest fix I've seen is direct care + crowd funding for the big stuff. When you pay your doctor directly, they work for you instead of an insurance claims department, and care starts to function as it should.
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Imagine how much trust medicine could regain if we said this clearly:
No more coercion.
Educate people. Discuss the benefits and risks. Answer hard questions without contempt. Make a recommendation. Persuade when the evidence is strong.
Then respect informed consent and personal choice.
Imagine how much trust medicine could rebuild if we returned to that.
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Mandating computer physician orders entry is one of the most destructive policies in healthcare.
It’s the biggest factor that tethered the physician to the computer.
If a patient needs a CT scan, the doctor can’t just put it in the note or tell a nurse. The doctor has to take the time to click through the cumbersome order entry.
It creates a culture where doctors are admonished and pestered about orders, even when the intent is perfectly clear and documented in the record.
Patient decided they want their CT scan at another location? “Doctor, you need to re order the scan.”
Patient wants to change their surgery date? “Doctor, you need to put in a new order.”
“You ordered this lab wrong. You need to fix it.” “There is a new order set for this medication. You need to use that.” “Speech therapy says the patient can eat. You need to put the order in.”
This adds up to a huge burden on doctors. Every little thing requires many clicks in the computer.
It all adds up. We researched this at ucsf and found the neurosurgeons were spending 2 hours a day just on order entry. Not notes, imaging review, or in the OR.
Just orders. And that doesn’t count the time it takes to find an open (and working) computer, log in, and find the chart.
Other studies have estimated between 15-30 full workdays are consumed annually just in order entry.
That’s an entire month of doctor time gone just to click through the computer.
I’m not saying we go back to chicken scratch on a pad of paper.
But if the doctor note says “patient needs CT of the head” why do we require another 40 clicks? If a doctor is running to the OR, why cant a verbal order suffice? If a surgery was already booked correctly once, why does the doctor need to re enter it completely?
Imagine how much more time doctors would have to treat patients if we simply reversed that rule.
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
We would never dismiss the grand possibilities of a great life lived between age 25 and 50. So this, we shouldn't dismiss the greatness that can happen between 50 and 75. Make age 50 to 75 the best years of your life.
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
📱 @HRSAgov's National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA) is a valuable resource for pregnant or postpartum individuals. It offers free, confidential support 24/7 with interpreters supporting over 60 languages. Whether by text or call, professional counselors are here to listen and provide support.
Learn more about the Hotline: ms.spr.ly/6012aplaM
ALT Mother holding her baby. Text displayed, \"National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. New mom or about to be? Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA.\" HRSA logo.
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Laughing in the ED doesn’t mean we aren’t working.
It means we’ve found a way to stay human while we work.
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Anyone should have the right to say no to any medical procedure including vaccines and not need to have any reason.
That right to decline should not be tied to civil liberty infringement because we are free beings inherently and the constitution enshrines these God given inalienable rights. You cannot have informed consent without the free ability to decline.
So really exemptions should not even be needed. JUST the word NO. This is what needs to be changed legally and culturally. For the current climate of this messed up world yes, anyone should be able to religiously exempt.
I feel strongly that collectively we need to push past fighting for the right for exemptions and command, reclaim, and demand our inherent right to say no freely and without civil liberty infringement.
Before the backpacks and permission slips, a quick conversation with your kids can go a long way this year.
Talk to your kids about bullying, what it looks like, and what to do if they see it happen. Teaching kids to speak up (not just stand by) makes a real difference.
Learn more here: cdc.gov/youth-violence/about…
#BackToSchool #TalkToYourKids #BullyingPrevention #EndBullying
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Insurance companies should be liable for malpractice if they want to make medical decisions.
Insurance rep: “Your claim was denied.”
Me: “Why?”
Insurance rep: “The procedure wasn’t medically necessary.”
Me: “My doctor ordered it.”
Insurance rep: “Yes.”
Me: “A specialist agreed.”
Insurance rep: “Yes.”
Me: “So who decided it wasn’t necessary?”
Insurance rep: “Our review team.”
Me: “Are they doctors?”
Insurance rep: “I don’t have that information.”
The bill was $3,260.
I pay them $428 every month.
Apparently I’m paying $5,136 a year so someone I’ve never met can overrule the doctor standing in front of me.
Very reassuring system.
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Forty years ago, you could leave work and actually LEAVE work. Nobody emailed your pocket at 8:37 PM. Nobody sent a “quick question” while you watched TV.
If the office needed you after 5, they had one option: wait until tomorrow.
The hours between the first bell and bedtime matter. Here are simple goals to aim for: 60 minutes of physical activity every day, and screen time limits that fit your child's age.
For kids 6–18, that means aiming for 2 hours or less of recreational screen time a day. A few small habits like setting a family plan and having regular screen-free times can make a big difference.
More movement, fewer screens, better afternoons.
#BackToSchool #AfterTheBell #PhysicalActivity #ScreenTime #GetActive
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Customers want information. But that doesn’t mean they want all the information. There’s a difference.
Salespeople and customer support reps sometimes believe that more explanation creates a better customer experience. So, they overexplain, thinking that this will reassure the customer. They may go into detail about a company policy, why it exists, what they can’t do, why they can’t do it, and more. While their intentions may be good, the result may not be.
hyken.com/customer-service-s… #customerservice #customerexperience #CX
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
📘 Caregiving can change a family’s life in an instant — and far too many people are left trying to navigate what comes next without a clear roadmap.
Lance A. Slatton’s new book, Caregiving in America, was created to help change that. 💙
Known as “The Senior Care Influencer,” Lance is the host of All Home Care Matters (@allhcms) and President of AlzAuthors (@alzauthors), and has spent years helping families better understand the realities of caregiving, aging, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, long-term care, healthcare decisions, financial planning, and the many challenges that come with caring for someone they love.
Caregiving in America was designed to be more than a book.
It was created to be a practical resource caregivers can return to throughout the caregiving journey. 📚
One of the most valuable features of the book is its four extensive appendices:
🔶 A national caregiving resource directory
🔶 A comprehensive state-by-state resource directory
🔶 Worksheets, assessments, and practical planning tools
🔶 A glossary covering caregiving, legal, financial, and healthcare terminology
These are not simply bonus pages at the end of the book.
They were intentionally created to help caregivers find support, organize important information, understand unfamiliar terminology, prepare for difficult conversations, and make more informed decisions as circumstances change.
Because caregiving rarely follows a straight line.
A diagnosis can come unexpectedly.
A parent may suddenly need more help.
A spouse may become a caregiver overnight.
A family may find themselves navigating healthcare, legal, financial, and long-term care decisions they never anticipated.
Caregiving in America was created for those moments.
It is meant to be highlighted, bookmarked, written in, referenced, and returned to again and again. ❤️
Lance’s goal with Caregiving in America is simple:
✨ Give caregivers practical information they can actually use.
✨ Connect families with valuable resources and support.
✨ Help make complicated caregiving decisions easier to understand.
✨ Provide families with a clearer path forward.
Because caregivers deserve more than scattered information.
They deserve a resource built for the realities they face every day.
📖 Caregiving in America by Lance A. Slatton
#caregiving #familycaregivers #caregiver #caregivingsupport #caregiverresources #seniorcare #dementiacare #alzheimerscare #alzheimers #dementia #agingparents #aginginplace #longtermcare #eldercare #caregivereducation #caregivercommunity #healthcare #alzauthors
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
The best vending machine that I’ve ever seen. 📕
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Insurance rep: “Your claim was denied.”
Me: “Why?”
Insurance rep: “The procedure wasn’t medically necessary.”
Me: “My doctor ordered it.”
Insurance rep: “Yes.”
Me: “A specialist agreed.”
Insurance rep: “Yes.”
Me: “So who decided it wasn’t necessary?”
Insurance rep: “Our review team.”
Me: “Are they doctors?”
Insurance rep: “I don’t have that information.”
The bill was $3,260.
I pay them $428 every month.
Apparently I’m paying $5,136 a year so someone I’ve never met can overrule the doctor standing in front of me.
Very reassuring system.
We want to prevent all falls, but especially The Big Fall that older adults often can’t come back from
This fall, help us prevent falls! 🍂🧡
Falls Prevention Awareness Week is Sept. 21-25, 2026. Many falls are preventable. Taking steps to prevent falls helps us age well & keeps us doing the things we love.
View our #FPAW2026 resources! ⬇️
ncoa.org/article/falls-preve…
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
People are under-pricing the possibility of a black-swan-esque event where significant chunks of higher ed collapse suddenly. At some point parents will decide they will not pay $100-400k combined for their kids to cheat their way through college. I expect a bang, not a whimper.
Higher ed has been contracting for a decade. Depending on how you count, around 100 or more four-year institutions have closed in that time. The closures and mergers are likely to accelerate in the next ten years. A range of 2-300 more seems very possible.
hechingerreport.org/more-tha…
Jennifer L. FitzPatrick MSW CSP Jenerations Health retweeted
Disney doesn’t create great guest experiences by accident. It creates them by developing people who understand guests from the ground up.
I had the chance to interview Cheryl Christensen, a former @Disney leader and current VP of Operations at @GatherTulsa, for an episode of Amazing Business Radio, where she shared what she learned from a career filled with passion and purpose.
Here are a few of the lessons she shared in the interview: forbes.com/sites/shephyken/2… #customerservice #customerexperience #CX
