Helene M Epstein Author
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helenemepstein.substack.com
Helene M Epstein Author
@helenemepstein.substack.com
Writer. Advocate. Speaker. Patient Empowerment. Patient Safety. In 2025, I’m sharing two chapters a month of my current book: 𝗔 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲. Subscribe FREE at HeleneMEpstein.substack.com
I'm so furious with the turncoat Dems! People are stepping up to feed or fund those who need SNAP. But what about all the people on ACA? Durbin, Shaheen, Fetterman, Masto, Hassan, Kaine, Rosen and King are cowards and turncoats.
November 10, 2025 at 4:15 AM
In my continuing mission to ensure that no one is ever harmed by their healthcare, here is Chapter 18 of 𝘼 𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚. Please read & subscribe, even if you don’t have two X chromosomes.
bit.ly/WomensHealth...
#WomensHealth #misdiagnosis
Illustration Credit: Image_Jungle
Chapter 18: Medicine’s Biggest Blind Spot is Still Women’s Bodies.
What Can Women Do To Protect Themselves?
bit.ly
October 31, 2025 at 7:56 PM
There are just 2 days left to vote for the 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 bit of #TheAnthemAwards. It closes October 30. I'm overwhelmed by how many voted for me. Being named a finalist is an incredible honor but it's your encouragement that has meant everything. VOTE wbby.co/HEPSNP
#PatientAdvocacy #PatientSafety
October 29, 2025 at 1:29 PM
This is my son when he was little. By the time he was 3, he had already been harmed by #misdiagnosis 3 times. There are 4 big reasons why kids get misdiagnosed & 7 things you can do now to #protectyourchildren. Please read & share with other parents. And if you like it, subscribe for free today.
Chapter 17: Why Millions of Kids Are Misdiagnosed and Harmed Annually
7 things you can do for your children. Now.
open.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 9:41 PM
I'm a finalist for #TheAnthemAwards & I need YOUR vote to win #CommunityVoice! All year I've researched, written & published a free book: A GUIDE TO SURVIVING AMERICAN HEALTHCARE. My mission is to teach you how to protect yourself in every medical situation. Please VOTE for me.
wbby.co/HEPSNP
October 15, 2025 at 4:34 PM
We all know the 0 through 10 pain scale is a joke. But pain isn’t. Pain is universal, highly subjective & too often dismissed when it’s not visible. I've lived this; in pain over 30 years. So, what can we do to communicate our pain to get diagnosed & properly treated? I have a new tool for patients
Chapter 16 - Throw Away The Pain Scale. A New Way To Communicate Pain and Be Heard.
A 41-year-old White woman, a 59-year-old Black woman, a 10-year-old Asian girl and an 83-year-old White man walk into a doctor’s office and say, “I’m in pain.” Which one gets enough pain relief?
open.substack.com
September 30, 2025 at 2:12 PM
What do Justin Bieber, Céline Dion & Jameela Jamil have in common? They’ve all shared what life feels like with a rare disease. If you live with a rare disease, please share what you’ve learned for others who suspect they may as well. If not… 1/2

helenemepstein.substack.com/p/chapter-15...
Chapter 15: Rare Diseases Are Common
Why Are They Missed? What do celebrities Justin Bieber, Celine Dion and Jameela Jamil have in common? They’ve all shared what life feels like with a rare disease.
helenemepstein.substack.com
September 16, 2025 at 11:48 AM
@penparentis.bsky.social for authors who parent because sometimes THIS is what parenting feels like.
September 16, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Did you know one of the best tools for fighting misdiagnosis and medical error is the phone in your hand? Read for more details on how you can protect yourself from medical harm. #misdiagnosis #medicalharm #patientempowerment #patienteducation #medicalerror

open.substack.com/pub/heleneme...
September 12, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Someone just showed me AI’s synopsis of my work. Of course, because I am not a world-famous celebrity, it scraped directly from my website, my articles & my book. There’s a reason that every chapter I post has a copyright. I’m glad the courts are with authors
#Authors #Books #Fiction #NonFiction
Anthropic Agrees to Pay $1.5 Billion to Settle Lawsuit With Book Authors
www.nytimes.com
September 6, 2025 at 7:31 PM
My back is killing me. So, I'm on my way to have a corticosteroid shot in my spine. It has side effects but it's worth it to me. All procedures have side effects. Before you have any surgery or procedure, know the risks and side effects. Read Chapter 14 for more.
Links in comments
September 5, 2025 at 6:46 PM
August 28, 2025 at 5:17 AM
If you feel isolated in Trump's America, feel that no one is protesting or fighting back, this is the most brilliant accurate multi-thread post that you need to read now. Now! www.threads.com/@theeverywhe...
Geraldine DeRuiter (@theeverywhereist) on Threads
Sigh. Here we go. A lot of people who aren't in America want to know why Americans aren't protesting *squints* every single minute of the day. Let's break this down, shall we? Keep in mind, I have a ...
www.threads.com
August 26, 2025 at 10:01 PM
So now that the ultra orthodox in Israel are protesting and battling with police to avoid the draft, will that stop Netanyahu? www.nytimes.com/2025/08/24/w...?
The War in Israel Over Serving in War
www.nytimes.com
August 25, 2025 at 2:01 PM
If you currently have ACA health insurance (aka Obamacare) or are still on your parents’ insurance but nearing your 26th birthday, this ⤵️ is a must read. It clearly explains what happens if Congress doesn’t vote to extend the subsidies for ACA premiums. #HealthInsurance #ACA
The ACA Subsidy Expiration Will Hit Millions Hard
Like a Mike Tyson blow to the face.
open.substack.com
August 25, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I haven’t been very active mainly because I’ve been unable to find my people. If you care about #PatientSafety. Or you’re a fellow #Author, #Nonfiction or #Fiction . Or you’re a #HealthcareJournalist. Reach out, say hi, and let’s follow each other.
August 22, 2025 at 6:33 AM
It's bad here. It will be worse in the red states. Thanks for sharing. Important info here.⤵️
Shocking real data here, in NY 44% of kids have Medicaid for healthcare access, and 49% of childbirths too. What will happen to them + their families access to care when Medicaid cuts go through? UHF shares their insightful report below, have a look: #MedicaidMatters #HealthEquity #MaternalHealth
NEW: Medicaid has served as an essential safety net for children since 1965. In NY, it covers 44% of children & 49% of births.

UHF explores how Medicaid improves children's access to quality care & how federal cuts could jeopardize timely access to care.
uhfnyc.org/publications...
July 31, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Online medical info is both a boon to patient autonomy & a dangerous source of unreliable advice, products, & bad data. Ch 13 covers how to use the three main resources –– social media crowd-sourcing, symptom checkers & AI chatbots ––while protecting yourself.
bit.ly/13Online
#HealthTech
July 31, 2025 at 10:31 PM
[Spoiler] The attacks against our rights have been so constant, even the games in the @nytimes now remind us of our constitutional freedoms! #strands #Constitution #Vote #Speech #Assembly #Liberty #Life
July 30, 2025 at 4:12 PM
The ultimate #Misdiagnosis, premature organ donation. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/07/20/u...
A Push for More Organ Transplants Is Putting Donors at Risk
www.nytimes.com
July 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
My favorite doctors share their doubts when it’s called for. I’m seeking accuracy, not speed. Of course, I expect them to 1st rule out any life-threatening conditions quickly, then commit to getting the necessary answers. 𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 bit.ly/DxUncertain
July 16, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Do you know the 4 major barriers to getting a second opinion and how to get past them? The answers are in my latest chapter 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗔 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗔 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗔 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻. (And it's 100% free)
helenemepstein.substack.com/i/167293196/...
#Misdiagnosis #SecondOpinions #PatientSafety
July 3, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Throughout my book, I consistently recommend getting a second opinion. Here are the What, Why, When, How and How Much of getting Second Opinions. bit.ly/2nd-Opinions
#SecondOpinion #PatientSafety #Surgery #PeaceOfMind #Cancer #Scheduling #Multidisciplinary #PatientAdvocate #RemoteSecondOpinions
July 1, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Blown away by this pledge. Dr. Mark Graber is a visionary. Over 15 years ago, Mark identified that the biggest patient safety issue is misdiagnosis. His leadership has made patient lives healthier & safer. I've long admired him; his support means the world to me. open.substack.com/pub/heleneme...?
June 28, 2025 at 1:19 AM
The Bear is back Wednesday night! #TheBearHulu
June 23, 2025 at 2:58 PM