I had experienced 6 years of increasing asthma with shortness of breath despite aggressive medical management. Finally, a tipping point was reached about 16 months ago. I had a board certified allergist who told me I was “not allergic to anything”, and two other internists, one general, the other a nationally known pulmonary doctor, who didn’t believe me when I told them my breathing was still poor. One thought it was all psychological. (By that time, I was being pushed around in a wheelchair, since I could not walk more than 15 feet before becoming breathless.) I am a retired internist, myself, but by this time, I was so physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted because of shortness of breath that it was difficult for me to figure out my own condition and care for myself. I remembered having seen the website of Houston Patient Advocacy and spoke with Vik Rajan, MD, a triple boarded internist in Houston who had been helpful for others with insolvable diagnostic/treatment dilemmas. He presented himself as strictly an advocate, not replacing my doctors or writing prescriptions, but taking the time to figure out what was going on based on my medical history and find me the help I needed. In short, he would be my guide through the medical thicket. I decided to make major changes in my selection of doctors to provide me with care, and Dr. Rajan helped me find doctors who would listen to me and offer help. He accompanied me, at my request, to various specialists, thus streamlining the consultative process. He was impeccably organized, yet eminently personable and professionally competent, “digging for that which may have been missed.” Much of the data was present, but relatively hidden in the mass of test results and hospitalizations. Over the next 10 weeks, he “plumbed the depths” of this paperwork. An allergist recommended by him determined that I was actually ALLERGIC to various air and food allergens, the worst being a food allergy to corn and corn derivatives, which had previously been part of my daily diet. Once I made the necessary changes, improvement occurred – not overnight, but shortly afterwards. Within a few days, I was able for the first time in 10 weeks to sleep lying down. It’s now been several months. I continue to improve, not recalling such “health” in more than 5 years.

I contacted Dr. Vik Rajan in April, 2013. My daughter was 13 at the time and needing desperately to get on the kidney transplant list. She had long suffered from Chronic Kidney Disease, but her illness began to progress at an alarming rate. I tried in vain for an entire month to get her into a transplant program but faced red tape everywhere I turned. Within 24 hours of my first meeting with Dr. Rajan, and through his efforts alone, I had an appointment with the best transplant surgeon in Houston. My daughter officially made the transplant list in June, 2013, and received her kidney less than 30 days later. Dr. Rajan was instrumental in expediting my daughter’s transplant. If you need help navigating health care, HPA is the company you need to call, and you need to call now. Don’t get caught in the emotional loop, and don’t let your insurance company and the medical system you don’t understand dictate how it’s going to be. Dr. Rajan teaches you the language you need to know. He can get you past the red tape and the veil of secrecy. If you know what I’m talking about, you need to call him ASAP.

I highly recommend Houston Patient Advocacy and Dr. Rajan. While my mother lives in Houston, Texas, I do not. This became problematic when my mother became ill, bouncing from hospital to nursing home and from doctor to doctor. We also had difficulties navigating the maze of medical bills, Medicare, and other insurances. Dr. Rajan has greatly helped my mom and my family by coordinating the care provided by her multiple physicians. We needed a doctor in the family to corral the various diagnostic tests and results into a diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plan, and Dr. Rajan fills that void. Dr. Rajan has been able to expedite access to medical specialists, been an advocate for her care, and has been present at physician appointments on our behalf. He has provided timely observations and information about what’s going on with my mother and has made well-received suggestions to the medical team on essential matters such as appetite, nutrition, and pain management. In addition, Dr. Rajan has a local affiliate network to tap into to provide additional assistance, such as home care support and aid in navigating medical billing and insurance problems. Overall, Dr. Rajan’s involvement has led to better care for my mother and has reduced anxiety for her geographically distant family.

My aging mother was recently hospitalized for a back injury and was suffering from other medical problems that she developed while being treated at a well-known hospital in the Houston area. The longer she stayed in the hospital the sicker she became. What was supposed to be a minor procedure and 3 day hospital stay turned out to be a 33 day ordeal in the hospital. I became very frustrated with her doctors, and when I tried to take her home, I was told that I would have to sign AMA paperwork by the floor supervisor. I was also told by one of her doctors that if I took her home in her condition that she would most likely die and that I would be responsible for her death. Feeling hopeless and overwhelmed by the whole situation, I searched the internet for help and thankfully found Dr. Vik Rajan from Houston Patient Advocacy. The first time I had contact with Dr. Rajan was over the telephone and after speaking with him I immediately felt that I had someone that could help resolve my situation. Dr. Rajan came to the hospital where we spoke further about my mother’s situation before going up to her room where he met her and observed her condition. He almost immediately told me that she doesn’t look like someone sick enough to be kept in the hospital. Wow! How relieved I felt at that point! He questioned me and my mother, studied her hospital medical records, and spoke with her doctors as they rounded. A discharge plan was developed, and within 3 days she was released from the hospital and has been home with me for a month now and doing fine! Dr. Rajan has helped us in so many ways that I can’t begin to express my gratitude. He is very good at communicating with other doctors on their level. He is a very professional yet down-to-earth, kind, understanding, well-rounded individual who can successfully bridge the gap between doctors, patients, and patients’ families. I continue to converse with Dr. Rajan and seek his guidance on many health issues. He has been, and continues to be a Godsend in our lives….

Dr. Rajan was an indispensable resource to me and father. My dad got sick last December and was in and out of institutions until he passed away in October 2013. Although I am a lawyer who specializes in health law, I don’t have medical expertise. No matter how much knowledge you have, unless you are a doctor yourself, Dr. Rajan can help. When my dad was very sick at his nursing home, Dr. Rajan worked with the staff to get him transferred to a hospital where he could get the care he needed. And when my father had to be discharged from the hospital, Dr. Rajan helped me place my father in an inpatient hospice facility where he could pass away with peace and dignity. It is very overwhelming to have a sick family member and having someone I could trust was a huge help.