{"id":43960,"date":"2013-07-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-07-18T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2013\/07\/18\/real-impact-as-a-patient-advocate\/"},"modified":"2022-08-29T14:36:50","modified_gmt":"2022-08-29T19:36:50","slug":"real-impact-as-a-patient-advocate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2013\/07\/18\/real-impact-as-a-patient-advocate\/","title":{"rendered":"Real impact as a patient advocate"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"panel body-content\"><div class=\"panel__container\"><p>\nSure, she thought about narrowing her focus. Dermatology and endocrinology came to mind. Carey Pryal instead chose to specialize in family medicine.<\/p>\n<p>\n&#8220;I like the range of ages from 5-days-old until 99,&#8221; said Pryal, a UNMC physician assistant graduate. &#8220;I see a good mixture of patients who need acute and chronic care.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>\nThe clinic where she works cares for underserved patients in McLennan County, Texas. Most have Medicaid, Medicare or are not insured.<\/p>\n<p>\nIt is here where Pryal sees opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>\n&#8220;My responsibility is to care for patients but I also advocate for them. I help them navigate the health care system, connect them with specialists and make sure patients can afford their medications.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>\nEven though the clinic is a designated federally qualified health center (one which serves the neediest patients), it is part of a larger health system &#8211; the best of both worlds from a provider standpoint. Thirteen different clinics serve nearly 50,000 patients a year.<\/p>\n<p>\nWith the resources of a large health system, Pryal has job stability and satisfaction.<\/p>\n<p>\n&#8220;With the new health care reform act, access to health care for everyone is the goal. Physician assistants fulfill an important role in the future of primary care. This profession allows me to provide a continuum of care, focus on preventive medicine and find resources for patients.<\/p>\n<p>\n&#8220;At the end of the day, you make a real impact in the lives of others,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p>\nThe Hastings, Neb., native is technically a long way from home. But the generous job flexibility allows Pryal plenty of time for visits with family and friends.<\/p>\n<p>\nFor now, Waco, Texas is home. The small town life, great community and neighbors remind her of her Nebraska roots.<\/p>\n<p>\nHer work with patients has enough professional variety. Plus, the opportunity to advocate for her patients gives her the feeling that she can effect change.<\/p>\n<a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"\/secure-location.php\" style=\"display: none;\" title=\"jrpl nPNOjKBQrMujziTaw\">jrpl nPNOjKBQrMujziTaw<\/a><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Carey Pryal, PA-C, doesn&#8217;t just care for patients. She also advocates for them. She helps them navigate the health care system, connects them with specialists and makes sure they can afford their medications.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":43961,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","department-physician-assistant"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Real impact as a patient advocate<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Carey Pryal, PA-C, doesn&#039;t just care for patients. 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