The ‘Guardian’ Angels
of advocates

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

When Angel Rivera graduated from the Philadelphia Police Academy nine years ago, he was in pretty good shape at 5 feet 9 inches tall and 211 pounds.
But over the year, his weight ballooned, reaching 345 pounds. He had trouble making it up and down the court during pickup basketball games and couldn’t even fit on the rides during a vacation trip to Universal Studios in Florida.
"I knew I wanted to lose the weight, but it was a struggle to find the motivation," he said.
Rivera, 31, found the motivation in a police version of The Biggest Loser, a reality television weight-loss show. The local contest was coordinated by Law Enforcement Health Benefits, the health-care administrator for the local police union, and Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates, a business founded four years ago by Betty Long to be an advocate for individuals and corporate, private and fraternal organizations in the tri-state area.
Sixty police officers in six districts were selected for the pilot weight-loss contest. While Rivera’s 26th Police District team lost the overall contest to the 7th district, he did capture the top individual prize by losing 70 pounds over a six-month period last year.
The weight loss is continuing for Rivera, who lives in Holmesburg. He’s down to 247, almost 100 pounds from his all-time high. He’s given up soda and drinks water almost exclusively. He wants to set a good example for his kids, a 12-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy.
"My goal is to get to 200," he said.
Rivera credits the folks at Guardian Nurses with helping him lose all the weight. His wife Lisette has also dropped 40 pounds thanks in part to tips from the agency, and she was able to deal better with kidney cancer because of Long’s assistance.
An employee of the School District of Philadelphia, she recommends that the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers sign a pact with Guardian Nurses.
"They’re really true guardians," she said. "They’ve been a godsend."
Angel Rivera is grateful that he and his wife have easy access to medical professionals on the telephone or in person.
"It’s nice to have a personal relationship with Guardian Nurses," he said.
And for Lisette Rivera, it’s nice to know that her husband is healthier and better able to perform his duties as a policeman.
"The bad guys will see him or anyone who is overweight as an easy target because they can’t run as fast, or God forbid, he could have had a heart attack," she said.
Long, a registered nurse who has worked in Philadelphia-area hospitals for 20 years, founded the business to help individuals understand the health-care system and enable organizations to save money.
In the first year after signing a contract with Guardian Nurses to handle dental, optical, medical and prescription issues, LEHB saved $1.6 million in unneeded hospital admissions, medical procedures, duplicative services and drug therapies.
As a nurse, Long frequently answers medical questions from friends and family. Now, she’s offering the expertise on a grander scale.
Ed Powers, an executive with Bricklayers and Allied Craftsworkers Local 1, said, "Having Guardian Nurses is like having a nurse in the family."
"Health care’s a mess," said Long, citing a nursing shortage, hospital staffing concerns and a lack of communication with patients and families. "People need help, and to have somebody holding their hand makes it a lot easier."
To further spread the word, the agency will hold an event on Sept. 19 at the Union League to launch a promotional DVD, Guardian Nurses: Lighting Patients’ Way Through the Healthcare Maze.
Long works with a team of 12 nurses, all experienced specialists, which is what unions and large groups are looking for since they represent a diverse membership.
"What we sell to organizations is our expertise," she said.
Once a contract is signed, Guardian Nurses deals primarily with the case managers for hospitals and insurance companies. As for interactions with individuals, Long said the relationship is a great one. She points to surveys that show nurses are viewed favorably by 95 percent of the public.
"We’re nurses. We’re not insurance executives. We’re not necessarily looking at the bottom line. We like to help people. It’s a pretty simple equation," she said.
Guardian Nurses, based in Wyndmoor, Montgomery County, assists union members and company employees in various ways.
The business advocates during hospitalization or nursing home stays; reviews and explains medical records; researches information and available treatment options; provides options for community services and long-term care placements; and obtains health-care equipment, supplies and resources.
Besides Rivera’s weight loss, Long cited a few specific successes. Guardian Nurses saved a family from making phone calls to an insurance company, hospital and doctor by coordinating billing issues for multiple cardiac surgeries. The agency worked with physicians to organize plans for dialysis and a kidney transplant for a man. And a health screening at a work site identified two employees with high blood pressure.
Angel Rivera will continue to rely on Guardian Nurses as he tries to lose more weight. He follows the adage that, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
"Keep stepping," Long said. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com