Patient advocates: People who help you navigate the complex world of healthcare

Amanda Millman, business owner at One Sylvester Comprehensive Care Center in Plantation on Friday, March 27, 2026. The complex health care system has given rise to independent businesses that will help you choose doctors, find specialists, break long wait times, get doctors to talk to each other and manage all the bills. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Amanda Millman knows who to call when someone receives a breast cancer diagnosis and needs an appointment as soon as possible. He also knows how to navigate long wait times to see a specialist or how to get prior authorization for surgery. A year ago, Melman combined her hospitality background with her medical experience to … Read more

World news in brief, Cuba embargo hurts health care, Haiti ‘violence’, Djibouti shipwreck dies

A long line of people wait outside for cash distributions as part of the World Food Program (WFP) 'Cash for Work' program in Haiti, with green tropical plants in front.

In an alert, the United Nations’ World Health Organization, WHO, warned that Cuban hospitals are struggling to maintain emergency and critical care services. “Thousands of surgeries have been delayed over the past month and people who need care … have been put at risk by the lack of electricity available for medical equipment,” said WHO … Read more

Depression is associated with a realistic pessimistic bias rather than a realistic view of the world

Depression is associated with a realistic pessimistic bias rather than a realistic view of the world

A recent study was published in the journal Behavioral Research and Therapy This provides evidence that people who experience depressive symptoms have a true pessimistic bias toward positive future events, rather than a more realistic view of the world. Research suggests that while depressed individuals can update their beliefs when desirable things happen, these optimistic … Read more