Background and Content Expertise
Dr. Pasacreta is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and a researcher with expertise in the methodologic challenges associated with chronic illness research. She has provided treatment for medically ill patients referred for psychiatric problems and consultation to their primary clinicians regarding psychiatric management. Dr. Pasacreta is an experienced educator with an impressive list of publications. Her work is motivated by the notion that as individuals live longer with a variety of chronic illnesses, medical and psychiatric comorbidity is on the rise. This phenomenon is putting inordinate stress on patients, families, professional caregivers and the health care system at large. Along similar lines, chronic illnesses linked to maladaptive behaviors (type 2 diabetes, obesity, lung cancer, substance abuse) are also increasing rapidly. Preventive efforts are urgently needed yet largely ignored in this area and reflect a related area of Dr. Pasacreta’s research and writing expertise. In general, Dr. Pasacreta is interested in drawing attention to gaps in our healthcare system that have been intensified by technological advances. The simultaneous proliferation of scientific data and information technology underscore the need for medical writers who are well educated, informed and ethical.
Dr. Pasacreta’s work is further motivated by the observation that research and related health care initiatives are too often driven by forces other than clinical need. These forces may include political pressures, financial interests and professional affiliation to name just a few. This results in some of our most vulnerable citizens (such as individuals with psychiatric problems) being a low healthcare priority. This is counter to abundant documentation supporting the rising prevalence of psychiatric problems that are increasingly being encountered in non psychiatric settings where clinicians are not prepared regarding best practices. Psychiatric problems may result from a range of stresses that accompany chronic illness or can contribute to disease origin, paradoxically diminishing the impact of new scientific discoveries. For example, as societal and behavioral issues contribute to an obesity epidemic, simultaneous discoveries regarding the etiology and treatment of type 2 diabetes are essentially futile. The complexities and politics that exist in the healthcare system are mentioned here because of their relevance to the medical writer and consultant. For example, complex forces may impact on the particular research proposals that are funded, as well as what questions are asked and how results are interpreted. These observations are not meant as judgments. They are mentioned because it is important that medical writers be aware of the issues that can impact on the information they encounter and subsequently write about.
Dr. Pasacreta’s years of experience make her highly attuned to the preceding issues. That awareness enhances her ability to advise clients about research ideas that are most likely to be funded as well as the limitations of various scientific data. Dr. Pasacreta’s areas of expertise support her ability to write about a wide range of topics. Based on her research training (she has taught graduate level research methods courses at University of Pennsylvania and Yale University) she is also prepared to write about topics outside of her clinical expertise and will always recommend alternate writers and content experts that she has ready access to if a job/topic is beyond the scope of her ability. Clients can always be confident in her integrity and ability to produce high quality, original documents that meet specific requirements and timelines. Finally, she is able to recommend content and produce original, creative work or follow very specific guidelines and protocols. Revisions are always made in a timely manner until the client is fully satisfied with the finished product.
