Pack Your Own
Healthcare Parachute
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About Shiella
Shiella Dowlatshahi is an author and Board-Certified Patient Advocate. Her book, Pack Your Own Healthcare Parachute, blends a family memoir with practical insight to help readers navigate care with clarity and dignity. She speaks to hospitals, nursing groups, advocacy communities, and the public about second opinions, values-aligned decisions, family unity, and end-of-life conversations.
As an expert in patient advocacy, Shiella believes every patient is deserving of “timely, reliable, equitable, and safe healthcare” and hopes to “inspire those who are leaders in medicine to become disruptors of the status quo to change the way medicine is practiced today, focusing on the patient instead of profit.”
Shiella Dowlatshahi received her Master's in Pain Research, Education, and Public Policy from Tufts School of Medicine (2020) and has been a patient advocate, serving on the Board of the New England Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation for nearly a decade.
Shiella's Credentials & Expertise
Education
MSc–Pain Research, Education, and Public Policy, Tufts School of Medicine
Certification
Board-Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA)
Background
Leadership roles at Acacia Pharma, Scios (J&J), Myogen (Gilead), and Cadence/Mallinckrodt
Specialties
Pain, Cardiovascular, GI Disorders, Complex Case Advocacy, Insurance Appeals, Acute and Chronic Disease, Inpatient Care, and Rare Disease
Recognition & Affiliations
These recognitions reflect Shiella’s ongoing work in patient education. Her writing and talks give families and care teams clear, practical steps they can use right away.
Winner: Best Publication in Patient Advocacy, 2023
Board Certified Patient Advocate-2023
Author, Oxford University Press (2024) –
Board Member, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation-New England Chapter
Board Member-Patient Advocacy Certification
Member, National Association of Healthcare Advocacy (NAHAC)
Member, Greater National Advocates (GNA)
Member, Massachusetts Health Care Advocates (MAHCA)
Member, Alliance for Professional Healthcare Advocates (APHA)
Member, PULSE Center for Patient Safety, Education, and Advocacy
Invite Shiella to Speak
Shiella Dowlatshahi, MSc, BCPA, is a nationally recognized, Board-Certified Independent Patient Advocate and speaker bridging science and compassion to reshape healthcare communication and outcomes.
Talk Topics:
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Beyond the Pain: Tools for Advocates
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When Healthcare Feels Like a Free Fall
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Ethical Dilemmas in Palliative Care
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Advocacy as a Corporate Wellness Benefit
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6-Week Course: Pain Advocacy
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Book Shiella to speak about her award-winning book, Pack Your Own Healthcare Parachute
Appearances:
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Healthcare Advocate Summit 2025
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New England Patient Advocacy Conference (NEPAC)-Worcester, MA, 2025
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National Association of Healthcare Advocates, 2025
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Massachusetts Healthcare Advocates, 2025
Buy the Book
Paperback and eBook available.
Looking for advocacy services?
Visit Healthcare Parachute