Massachusetts - Eric Fleegler, M.D., M.P.H.
Updated August 2004
Understanding the challenges of asking families about difficult social problems and doctor's general lack of knowledge about resources for families, Eric Fleegler, M.D., M.P.H. and Ellen Lawton, Esq of the Family Advocacy Program created Advocacy Code Cards for staff at Boston Medical Center and Children's Hospital Boston. Modeled from typical emergency 'code cards', the Advocacy Code Card is a doctor's quick reference guide for advocacy. The card provides a brief introduction to what advocacy is, guidelines for quickly screening a patient for common social problems, how to write a letter on behalf of a family, a glossary of agencies, and an extensive list of community resources. These cards have been successfully replicated at hospitals in Miami, California, and Rhode Island's Hasbro Children's Hospital.
In seeing the success and necessity of advocacy tools for doctors and patients, Dr. Fleegler decided to create a tool that is patient-centered. The Online Advocate is an assessment tool that will fully screen families for services they need. In addition, the assessment will give families feedback, and help them choose referral agencies that are most convienent for them to reach. Once it is complete, The Online Advocate content will be modifiable to other locations. The Online Advocate is supported by a foundation seed grant from the American Medical Association as well as other hospitals and organizations.
Dr. Fleegler received his BA in political science from Brown University, his MD from the University of Pennsylvania, and his Masters of Public Health from Harvard University. He began his advocacy work as a medical student, founding a chapter of Lift-A-Hammer, a program in which medical students build houses with Habitat for Humanity. In his second year of medical school, he organized and co-founded the United Community Clinics, a free multidisciplinary clinic in West Philadelphia which provides services to the community and evolved to include six graduate schools; nursing, social work, medicine, law, dental, and veterinary medicine. He has also worked internationally in Brazil, Uganda, India, Japan, and other countries. Dr. Fleegler has recently completed the Harvard Pediatric Health Services Research Fellowship Program and is currently a pediatric emergency medicine fellow at Children's Hospital Boston.
