Our process begins with a free 20-minute consultation via phone. If we believe we can serve your needs, the consultation is typically followed by a Comprehensive Assessment visit with the GreyZone Physician Consultant and a Care Advocate. The 90-min Comprehensive Assessment visit is available in person at our Seattle Office or via HIPAA-compliant Zoom for out-of-state or international clients. During the appointment, we take time to hear your story and review your medical history. Patient education and empowerment are at the center of what we do. Our job is to see patients as people first, and to understand the context in which each individual is experiencing ill-health. Our approach is customized to you, so we take the time to understand your immediate and long-term needs.
After the assessment, we provide a proposal of advocacy services tailored to your needs. The proposal typically includes one or more of the following six items:
Diagnostic Road Map
Diagnostic road map is designed for clients experiencing unexplained symptoms. Whether you are underdiagnosed or lack a diagnosis entirely, we are prepared to support you every step of the way. We undertake an in depth review of your medical records and conduct further discussions with you to understand what has been done already and where you would benefit of going next. GreyZone works with a network of board-certified providers, which includes expert diagnosticians, experienced specialists, alternative care providers, nutritionists, medical massage practitioners, and other hand-picked professionals. We strive to connect you with an interdisciplinary care team that understands your story, symptoms, and health goals. As we assemble your team, GreyZone staff also push to obtain all medical records, especially past diagnostics which may prove invaluable to your new providers. As diagnostics and treatment continue, we track health-related changes to monitor your progress. Please note that GreyZone does not provide direct medical care and cannot guarantee a diagnosis. Rather, our mission is to improve your chances of success through detailed medical review, purposeful care management, and coordination with a strong provider team.
Complex Care Advocacy
Care advocacy, Coordination & Management is best suited for clients with complex and continuing medical needs as well as those who lack family advocates to accompany them at their physician visits. GreyZone works to create individualized health goals and care management plans with a special emphasis on patient priorities and continuity of care. Based on your needs, we are available to coordinate appointments, provide physician visit support, and conduct medical scribing. In addition to scheduling visits and facilitating transportation to medical appointments, GreyZone prepares a patient agenda and a post-visit summary before and after every meeting. During fast-paced physician visits, the agenda ensures that your concerns are addressed. Our primary goal is to facilitate communication between you and your provider, whether that means transcribing what is said, summarizing patient wishes and symptoms, or pushing key issues. After appointments, we review what was said and help to translate medical jargon. We also provide you with a post-visit summary, which includes patient education materials as well as an organized synopsis of diagnostic and treatment options laid out by your provider. Moreover, we regularly check-in with you to monitor your progress and advocate for appropriate care with your providers.
Medical Records Organization
Medical Record Organization, monitoring and collection is available as a stand-alone service and as part of the Diagnostic Road Map above. If you have a complex medical history or are struggling to obtain records on your own, we are happy to help. GreyZone is equipped to retrieve records from disparate hospital systems and organize them into a clear health timeline for your convenience. We identify key records, tie them to current diagnoses, and create folders for physician specialists. For current clients, GreyZone monitors records continuously and updates our system to include full medical histories. We are also equipped to prepare patient summaries and detailed medication lists for new providers, which are updated continuously. These documents are invaluable if your care is spread across multiple medical systems. They are also extremely useful if your records are in the hundreds or thousands of pages where it becomes impossible for a new provider to go through and extract important information.
Research Consulting Services
Research consulting services are available for clients who come to GreyZone with a specific condition or treatment in mind. We also offer them to clients who are already receiving long-term medical advocacy services from GreyZone. In the past, we have helped clients identify clinical trials, pursue second opinions, and explore alternative treatment options. We support you in making informed decisions that fully account for current standards of care or upcoming technologies and interventions that may be suitable in your case. We review medical literature, survey providers and other professionals as needed, scour published news outlets, and mine patient communities and organizations to find what could be available for you. Our process typically concludes with a written report of key findings, which contains a GreyZone recommendation based on quantitative data and expert opinions. For clients who select this service, our goal is to give you the full picture of treatment risks, costs, outcomes, and availability. We also offer this service to organizations and agencies, please contact us for more information.
Ad-Hoc Advocacy Consultations
Ad-Hoc Advocacy Consultations are available for people who typically manage their own care, and like to check in from time to time on specific advocacy issues. This short-term service is best suited for clients who are seeking a brief consultation or check-in with their GreyZone team from time to time on a specific request and for those that do not require long-term services. We offer Ad-Hoc 60-minute visits with a Care Advocate and our Physician Consultant for a flat fee or Ad-Hoc Care Advocate only consultations, depending on your needs. We provide ideas for new avenues to pursue or guidance on healthcare system navigation and self-advocacy. These services are available to GreyZone clients who have concluded the 90-min Comprehensive Assessment or past long-term clients.
Mayo Clinic Prep
Mayo Clinic Prep available for US-based or international clients who choose to pursue intensive diagnostic workup through the Mayo system. Many patients interested in the Mayo Clinic are not sure where to begin or how to enroll. We’ve been there and know how the system works. We establish communication with the Mayo Clinic, identify specialists that might help, collect and transfer medical records, prepare summaries for providers, and create an itinerary customized to you. For clients who pursue diagnosis through Mayo, our primary goal is to orchestrate a smooth and effective transfer of care. Additionally, we offer in-person or remote advocacy support services during your visit while you are there. Ask us for more information.
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Or give us a call at 206.900.0904