About My Personal Advocate
I’m Dr. Alan Feren, an experienced, empathetic physician who advises on adult medical issues and procedures.
I have over 50 years of experience: as a practicing physician and surgeon, medical treatment guidelines author, medical director, chief medical officer, and patient education consultant. I’ve also had multiple major procedures, lived with chronic medical conditions, and am a cancer survivor, so I’ve lived and understand the realities and frustrations of the patient experience.
I’ll help answer questions your care team didn’t address or didn’t answer clearly. I’ll help you ask the right questions and understand your options or any alternatives so you can make informed decisions. I can help ensure you get care that respects and meets your personal needs.
How Does My Personal Advocate (MPA) Work?
Contact me here to request a free 15-minute consultation to determine if I can provide guidance for your medical issue(s).
I advise on most adult conditions and procedures. However, I do not advise on children’s health (pediatrics), childbirth and women’s reproductive health, mental health, or complex health insurance questions (especially those related to billing). While it’s impossible to know everything about each and every medical condition, I can provide valuable insight into many cancers and assist in decision-making for end-of-life care.
If we agree that guidance could be helpful, we will schedule a Zoom video visit typically lasting up to 1 hour.
During your 1-hour scheduled virtual visit, I will carefully listen to your issues and challenges, answer questions, then suggest appropriate questions to ask your healthcare providers, possible additional tests or treatment options to consider, and provide you information that you can trust and, more importantly, that’s right for you. Any family or friends involved in your care are encouraged to attend.
You don’t have to send anything in advance, but if you wish, you may forward test or lab results using a state-of-the-art encrypted e-mail address. All information is only used to help you understand your health issues.
Privacy and confidentiality are maintained during and after all interactions.
A fee of $250 is payable in advance for each virtual visit. 50% of this fee will be donated to support the Amazing Care Charitable Foundation.
Backed by my knowledge and experience, you’ll be able to make the best decisions about your care—so you can have the best medical outcome and peace of mind.
For more information, visit Frequently Asked Questions or request a free 15-minute consultation now.
Why I Became a Professional Healthcare Advocate
During my many years of medical training, even while in medical school, I became aware of the importance of the patient experience, its impact, and the need for patient advocacy.
Starting with my extended family, I was called upon to guide them through their respective health journeys. Living 2,000 miles away from my parents, I was able to play a key role in diagnostic problem-solving as well as treatment planning by forging thoughtful, respectful, and collaborative relationships with their care teams. This honed my skills as a patient advocate which I constantly applied in my own clinical practice.
Then came my own medical challenges, all of which have been successfully overcome allowing me to remain clinically active and productive: emergency life-saving surgery, multiple failed spine surgeries with months of confinement, multiple joint replacement surgeries, and most recently, cancer. With these experiences, I faced doubts, questions, system obstacles, frustrations, and anxieties along with extended months of rehabilitation.
Despite these personal challenges, the knowledge gained from my personal experiences continues to deepen. I draw upon it to help people through their health journeys. It’s both in my DNA and gives my life meaning and fulfillment.
Listen to Both Sides of the Stethoscope, an Interview with Dr. Alan Feren
In this in-depth and candid discussion, learn how Feren uses his knowledge of the medical system — as both a doctor and a patient — to help those who are struggling within it
Watch Partnering With Your Healthcare Professional
Learn how to have better clinical outcomes and more satisfaction with your care
More About Dr. Alan Feren
FORMAL EDUCATION
Tufts University School of Medicine, M.D., 1970
University of Colorado Medical Center, Surgical residency, 1970-1972
United States Air Force, Kirkland AFB, Medical Corp, Major, 1972-1974
University of California Medical Center, Head and Neck Surgical Residency, 1974-1978
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
Board Certification, Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, 1977
Elected Fellow of the American College of Surgery, 1981
Elected Fellow of the International College of Surgeons, 1983
Vice President, Clinical Care Quality, Good Samaritan Medical Foundation, 1993-1995
Senior Medical Director for Northern California, Blue Shield of California, 1995-2000
Chief Medical Officer, Sutter Health Partners, 2000-2003
HealthLoop, Senior Vice President, Clinical Content, 2014-2017
Conversa Health, Clinical Advisor and Content Specialist, 2017-2021
ADDITIONAL SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
Preparing for and recovering from all types of surgical procedures is a special area of interest, having gone through many procedures personally. These include heart and/or vascular procedures, spine surgery, total joint replacement surgery (hip and knee), and prostate surgery (for both benign and malignant [cancer] diseases). In addition, I have very broad knowledge of many chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic and lung diseases (COPD, Asthma), having written understandable and up-to-date patient education based on thorough peer-reviewed medical literature.
PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Alan Feren has over 50 years of experience on both sides of the stethoscope – a physician giving care, and a patient receiving care. As an expert in clinical content development, he has spent the last 8 years working for medical software companies whose goal has been to support patients between their visits and empower them as partners in their care. As a board-certified surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgery, he was a pioneer in outpatient surgery, and an assistant clinical professor of surgery at UC San Diego where he mentored medical students, demonstrating compassionate care. He has co-authored multiple volumes of clinical guidelines for a major actuarial company, served as a northern California medical director for a large not-for-profit health insurer, always supporting and advocating for patients as a priority. He served as a clinical reviewer for a major diagnostic imaging review organization, and a chief medical officer for healthcare organization that integrated lifestyle management with traditional health insurance. Dr. Feren has spoken nationally on a wide range of topics including ambulatory surgery, clinical guidelines, and the role of lifestyle management and coaching to promote disease prevention and progression. He continues to share his knowledge, insights to guide patients through their health journeys using his patient advocacy program – My Personal Advocate.
