Take a look at the work of Dave deBronkart, aka e-patient Dave, a remarkable patient advocate who turned his own disease experience into a catalyst for change. Dave is a prolific twitter (@ePatientDave), an author (Laugh, Sing, and Eat Like a Pig: How an empowered patient beat Stage IV cancer (and what healthcare can learn from it)) and public speaker. His book is available on Amazon in print and on kindle. Also see the Society for Participatory Medicine (http://participatorymedicine.org/) and e-patients.net (http://e-patients.net/). I met Dave and heard him speak at the 2010 Institute for Healthcare Improvement Annual Conference.
Here’s his recent TedxMasstricht Video talk (April 7, 2011). Lots of great ideas.