Dave deBronkart

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Dave deBronkart – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the story of Dave deBronkart (“e-Patient Dave”), the American writer, cancer survivor, and leading advocate for patient engagement, participatory medicine, and access to health data.

Introduction

Dave deBronkart, widely known as e-Patient Dave, is an American writer, speaker, and health care activist whose life transformed after a Stage IV cancer diagnosis into a crusade for patient rights, participatory medicine, and healthcare transparency. His writing, speaking, and advocacy have helped shift the narrative from patients as passive recipients to active partners in their care.

Early Life and Background

Richard Davies deBronkart Jr. was born on February 18, 1950 in the United States.

Before his health journey, deBronkart worked in high-tech marketing, primarily in the Boston area. His technical and marketing background later proved valuable in communicating and organizing in digital health and patient advocacy.

He has been an active user of online communities since at least the late 1980s (e.g. CompuServe).

Adversity & Turning Point: Cancer Diagnosis

In January 2007, during a routine shoulder X-ray, a shadow was discovered in deBronkart’s lung, which turned out to be metastasized kidney cancer (Stage IV). 24 weeks.

His treatment involved surgical removal of his kidney (nephrectomy) and subsequent participation in a clinical trial of high-dose interleukin-2 (HDIL-2), which ultimately led to reduction of lesions and a state of remission over the following years.

During his treatment, his femur experienced damage due to disease.

This crisis catalyzed his deeper engagement in health care, not just as a patient but as a proactive participant. He began blogging about his experiences and embracing the "e-patient" identity.

Career, Advocacy & Writing

The “e-Patient” Movement & Participatory Medicine

DeBronkart is considered one of the foremost voices in the e-patient movement: patients who are empowered, engaged, equipped, and enabled to participate actively in their health decisions.

In 2009, he helped found the Society for Participatory Medicine, serving as co-chair alongside his physician Dr. Danny Sands.

He has spoken at hundreds of conferences, policy meetings, and health technology summits globally (over 500 events in numerous countries) about patient engagement, health data rights, and redesigning health care systems.

DeBronkart became a high-profile advocate for patient access to medical records and transparency of health systems.

He also delivered a viral TED Talk, “Meet e-Patient Dave,” advocating for patients to partner more actively in their care.

He served (without a medical degree) as the Visiting Professor in Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in 2015.

His blog, “The New Life of e-Patient Dave,” has published many reflections, stories, and policy commentary.

He is on the BMJ editors’ patient advisory panel, and the National Library of Medicine archives his blog in its History of Medicine collection.

Books & Written Work

DeBronkart has authored several books and essays:

• Laugh, Sing, and Eat Like a Pig: How an empowered patient beat Stage IV cancer (and what healthcare can learn from it) (2010)

• Let Patients Help: A Patient Engagement Handbook (2013)

• Facing Death – With Hope (excerpt / shorter work)

He writes extensively for blogs, journals, conference proceedings, and op-ed outlets about patient agency, health IT, and participatory care.

Historical Milestones & Context

DeBronkart’s emergence as a patient-activist coincided with broader advances in digital health, patient portals, and health data interoperability. His story is emblematic of how in the 2000s and 2010s the Internet enabled patients to connect, share information, and exercise agency.

His critique of hospital and insurer data systems (e.g. mismatches between billing and clinical data) helped spotlight structural flaws in record systems, pushing for more accurate, patient-centered designs.

His adoption of the term “e-patient” has helped shape a movement across medicine, technology, and policy toward participatory models where patients are partners, not passive recipients.

Legacy and Influence

Dave deBronkart’s influence is felt in:

• The patient advocacy world: many “patient leaders” cite him as a founder of thinking in empowerment and rights.

• Health IT & policy: his critiques and public pressure have influenced policy debates about interoperability, access, and medical record design.

• Academic medicine & journals: his voice as “patient author / contributor” has expanded what counts as valid participation in medical discourse.

• Public inspiration: his survival story and message of engagement inspire patients to demand voices, transparency, and partnership in care.

His blog preservation in the National Library of Medicine signals that his contributions are considered part of the historical record of medicine.

Personality and Approach

DeBronkart is described as candid, witty, and direct, drawing from both lived experience and a communications/tech background. His background in marketing and online communities enables him to frame arguments in persuasive, accessible ways.

He exhibits humility—referring to himself as “Patient Dave” or “e-Patient Dave” rather than an authority figure—and empathy toward other patients’ struggles. His advocacy often emphasizes collaboration with clinicians rather than confrontation.

He sees the patient as an underused resource in health care, and often uses storytelling, humor, and clear metaphors to make technical and systemic issues understandable to lay and professional audiences alike.

Famous Quotes of Dave deBronkart

“The most underutilized resource in all of health care is the patient.” 

“We no longer live in a world in which doctors can claim monopoly on medical information.” 

“Give me my damn data!” (a signature rallying cry in his 2009 keynote) 

“Patients help heal each other. Patients help heal medicine.” 

“Information is power, but only if you can use it.” 

“I’m here on behalf of all the patients I’ve met—and the ones I haven’t yet met.” (from his TED talk)

Lessons from Dave deBronkart

1. Patients are partners, not victims. His life shows that when patients are informed and empowered, health outcomes and systems can improve.

2. Transparency matters. Access to accurate data is foundational to participation, trust, and accountability.

3. Use your voice. His shift from patient blog to policy influence shows that individuals can shape systems if they speak publicly.

4. Bridge domains. His combination of technology, marketing, and personal experience enabled him to communicate across silos.

5. Persist even in crisis. Faced with terminal diagnosis, he chose agency over despair—and transformed his challenge into movement.

Conclusion

Dave deBronkart—“e-Patient Dave”—is not just a cancer survivor and writer, but a pioneer who helped redefine what patients can and should do in health care. His advocacy for data access, participatory medicine, and patient empowerment continues to shape how we think about health systems, clinician–patient relationships, and medical information. If you’re interested in health policy, digital medicine, or patient rights, deBronkart’s writings and speeches are indispensable resources.