PURITY PATIENT ADVOCATES, LLC
HOW DO YOU PREVENT A MISDIAGNOSIS?
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Each year in the U.S., over 12 million adults who seek outpatient medical care receive a misdiagnosis, according to a recent study by BMJ Quality and Safety. That translates to about 5 percent of adults, or 1 out of 20 adult patients!
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In a Mayo Clinic study consisting of 286 patients, researchers found that only 12 percent were correctly diagnosed by their primary care physicians. More than 20 percent had been misdiagnosed, while 66 percent required some changes to their initial diagnosis.
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Navigating our dysfunctional healthcare system and obtaining a correct diagnosis when you have a mysterious or complex illness can be exhausting and time consuming.
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If you are a performance driven person, planner or an athlete, you want your quality of life back YESTERDAY and will do anything to regain your health.
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As a Concierge Health Advocate, I am the driving force for my clients who want an expert who they can trust before, during and after their practitioner appointments.​​
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My clients are extremely frustrated when they first come to me and I empathize with their situation. Their emotional well-being is extremely important to me.
I prepare for all client/physician appointments as if it were a business meeting. There is always a game plan and goals that will be accomplished based on your customized plan of action. ​
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I understand first hand that every person is unique with regards to their health, as well as their specific wants and needs.
By effectively collaborating with your chosen healthcare team, you don't waste years trying to obtain a correct diagnosis and treatment plan.
Regaining your health when battling a complex illness is like training for an Olympic event. It is a journey where commitment and hard work are essential. The gold medal is your quality of life!
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​Blessings,
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Sylvia Reisman
Founder & Chief Patient Advocate
PURITY PATIENT ADVOCATES LLC
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Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and Patient Advocate Sylvia Reisman issue a Proclamation for Lyme Disease Awareness Month
From Athlete to Advocate
Our Founder's Story
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My love of playing sports dates back to when my brother taught me how to throw a baseball in our backyard in Savannah, Georgia. I collected Topps baseball cards as a teenager and dreamed of being a baseball player!
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I played softball for several years as an outfielder and my high school team won the state championship. I played a variety of sports and well into my adult years, transitioned to biking, racquetball and strength training.
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I was still extremely active in 2006, when I suddenly developed bizarre and debilitating symptoms when living in Tampa Bay. This mysterious illness had me running from doctor to doctor in two states with no concrete diagnosis. I was suffering both physically and emotionally.
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I spent thousands of hours researching and saw over twenty physicians in two states.
My biggest observation: most practitioners lacked quality time or appropriate training to assess my complex case because they specialized in one area of medicine (one organ system).
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I JUST WANTED MY QUALITY OF LIFE BACK!
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Five years later, I self diagnosed and confirmed with a specialist in New York City that I had Lyme disease. The physician who graciously ran my specialized Lyme lab panel in Florida actually misinterpreted my test results.
I took the initiative and discovered that I was actually positive.
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Who was I before I became mysteriously ill?​​
I have always been a driven, ethical business professional who excelled at quickly establishing trust, cultivating lasting internal and external relationships, analyzing client problems, resolving issues and going the extra mile to deliver world class service.
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This led me to career positions in marketing and sales, including stints as an Account Manager with Reebok Southern Division, Member & Board Services Director for the Georgia Association of REALTORS and National Account Manager with Concentra Occupational Health.​​​
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After learning from the numerous mistakes that occurred during my long health journey, I could clearly see our healthcare system was failing millions of complex patients. I spent thousands of hours learning functional (root cause) and environmental medicine to expand my knowledge.
My years of suffering and learning led me to develop a comprehensive assessment, which I utilize with each of my clients. A customized "Plan of Action" is developed and executed from the assessment results.
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I thus decided to start Purity Patient Advocates LLC, a concierge patient advocacy service that replicates closely the navigation process I learned from years of personal experience.
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Just a bit more on the personal side…
I attended Armstrong State College - now Georgia Southern University and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, major in Marketing from Savannah State University.
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I enjoy cycling, hiking and for spiritual growth, developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through my ladies’ bible study group in Cumming, Georgia.
