Small Business Q&A: Teri Dreher, NShore Patient Advocates in Libertyville
Q: Describe your business. What do you do?
A: We are a private professional health care advocacy company staffed entirely by RNs. We have decades of clinical experience to help patients and families navigate modern health care challenges that may lead to medical error and all types of calamities. Most of our clients are seniors without family close by or adults with disabilities. They often are in crisis and need an experienced, clinically trained advocate to speak for them, navigate complex decisions or need us to do research to find the best health care providers to meet their unique needs. Many are adult children living far away who need us to advocate on their behalf to keep their parents safe and medically well cared for.
Q: What made you start your business?
A: A growing need in society brought on by changes in U.S. health care, high rates of medical error, patient safety concerns and a family experience that showed me how dangerous modern health care can sometimes be. I was also almost fired from a hospital for standing up to a doctor while advocating on behalf of a patient I was caring for in ICU.
Q: What has been the most difficult obstacle in running or starting a small business?
A: Learning how to market and promote my company and developing a healthy company culture.
Q: What's new in your business or industry?
A: It is growing quickly and I have been a chair or co-chair of several patient advocacy symposiums and the first International Conference on Patient Advocacy held in Chicago last October. NShore also started a nonprofit sister company this year (Seniorsalone.org) to serve low income patients on a sliding scale basis. We now do guardianship, advocacy and serve as POA for health care for those without family who are known as “senior orphans.” Many of these seniors have complex health issues. There is also a growing need to help adults with mental illness, calling upon us to serve as guardians through our non profit branch.
Q: What do you enjoy most about operating your business?
A: For 39 years, I helped save lives in the ICU setting and now I do it in the community. It's such a needed and valuable service and I get to make a difference in the world every day. It's truly the best job I ever had!
Q: Is this what you pictured yourself doing when you were young?
A: I always wanted to be a nurse but no one ever envisioned a need for patient advocacy in 1973 when I graduated nursing school.
Q: If you could give one tip to a rookie business owner, what would it be?
A: Persevere and get a good coach or mentor.
• We're looking for suburban small business owners (fewer than 100 employees) to feature in our Business section. Contact Rich Klicki at rklicki@dailyherald.com for more information.
NShore Patient Advocates
228 Red Top
Libertyville, IL
(847) 612-6684
<a href="http://www.northshoreRN.com">northshoreRN.com</a>
Owner: Teri Dreher RN CCM BCPA
Year business started: 2011
Number of employees: 8