The Autoimmune Mom Podcast · July 21, 2026
Living with an autoimmune disease often means navigating specialists, insurance companies, medications, lab work, and appointments that can feel overwhelming. But what if there were simple ways to become a more empowered patient?
In this episode, Dr. Terry Adirim, former Chief Medical Officer for the U.S. Military Health System, emergency physician, healthcare policy leader, and author of The Prepared Patient: Your Guide to Surviving the Health Care System (Johns Hopkins University Press, August 2026), shares what doctors wish patients knew, how to prepare for appointments, why advocating for yourself matters, and how to work with your physician instead of feeling like you are working against the system.