About PCA
A clinician in your corner.
Patient Care Advocates is an independent, clinician-led advocacy practice. We help patients and families navigate complex medical situations with clarity, confidence, and professional support.
Our founder
Nathan Miller, PA-C
Nathan is a cardiothoracic surgery physician assistant with four years of experience across cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery. He currently practices at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, a high-volume academic cardiac surgery program, caring for patients before and after some of medicine's most complex operations, including heart transplants, mechanical heart pumps (LVADs), and complex aortic surgery.
His days are spent where patients and families feel healthcare at its most overwhelming: the ICU, the surgical floor, and the hours leading up to discharge. He develops care plans, coordinates between surgeons, specialists, nurses, and families, and helps patients get home safely. He has seen how often capable, intelligent people leave important conversations confused or unsure what to do next, and how much a knowledgeable guide can change that.
He founded Patient Care Advocates to give patients and families what today's system rarely has room for: time, preparation, clear explanation, and a consistent clinical perspective across every step of their care.
- PA-C
- Nationally certified physician assistant
- 4 years
- Cardiothoracic & vascular surgery: ICU, inpatient, and OR
- IL & WI
- Licensed in both states we serve
Clinical background
Experience from inside the hospital.
The same skills that matter at the bedside, applied entirely on your behalf.
Hospital & ICU care
Independently manages postoperative cardiac surgery patients on the step-down unit and in the cardiothoracic ICU, from complex valve and aortic surgery to transplant and LVAD care.
Care coordination & discharge
Daily rounds, care plans, consults, ICU transfers, and discharges: coordinating surgeons, specialists, nurses, and families so nothing falls through the cracks.
Surgical experience
Operating room training in cardiac surgery, plus experience across thoracic and vascular procedures, so he understands what a surgical consultation really involves.
Teaching & explaining
Developed a ~40-lecture cardiac surgery curriculum for nurses, precepts PA students, and onboards new clinicians. Explaining complex medicine clearly is part of the job.
Quality improvement
Contributed to multidisciplinary initiatives to reduce surgical wound infections, improve recovery, and streamline a hospital valve program.
Rooted in Milwaukee & Chicago
Trained at Marquette University in Milwaukee, practiced at Froedtert South in Pleasant Prairie, and now practices at Northwestern Memorial in Chicago. These are the communities PCA serves.
Experience
- Cardiothoracic Surgery PANorthwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago · 2024–present
- Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery PAFroedtert South, Pleasant Prairie, WI · 2022–2024
Education
- M.S., Physician Assistant StudiesMarquette University, Milwaukee · 2022
- B.S., Biomedical SciencesMarquette University, Milwaukee · 2021
Certification & licensure
- Physician Assistant–Certified (PA-C)National certification
- Licensed Physician AssistantIllinois and Wisconsin
- ACLS · BLS · CSU-ALSAdvanced cardiac, basic, and cardiac surgery life support
Service
- 1,200+ volunteer hoursIncluding global medical brigades, youth coaching, and community outreach
Patient Care Advocates is an independent business. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Northwestern Medicine, Froedtert, or any other hospital or health system. Hospital names describe Nathan's professional experience only.
Why PCA exists
Why even capable people need a guide.
Modern medicine can do remarkable things, but the system around it is hard to navigate. These are the gaps PCA closes.
The knowledge gap
Clinicians train for years. Patients are expected to weigh complex decisions after a brief consultation, often without knowing which questions to ask.
Fragmented care
Physicians, specialists, hospitals, and clinics don't always communicate seamlessly, so patients and families end up coordinating it all.
Limited time
Even excellent clinicians face real time constraints, leaving less room for the education, preparation, and follow-up patients want.
Stress clouds decisions
When it's your health, or a parent's, it's hard to retain information, organize questions, and think clearly about difficult choices.
No single guide
Many patients have no one knowledgeable who sees the whole picture and stays with them from one encounter to the next.
PCA bridges that gap.
An experienced clinician who helps you prepare, understand, organize, and navigate, so you can face important decisions with clarity and confidence.
Our approach
Alongside your doctors, never instead of them.
We don't assume responsibility for your medical treatment, and we don't diagnose, treat, or prescribe. Instead, we work alongside you and, with your permission, your care team, so that your questions are asked, your concerns are heard, and your decisions are well-informed.
- Prepared. We do the homework before every encounter.
- Clear. Plain language, written summaries, and defined next steps.
- Collaborative. We respect and work with your physicians.
- Discreet. Your information is shared only with your permission.
Start with a conversation.
Every engagement begins with a no-obligation consultation.
Book a consultation- No-obligation consultation
- Confidential & discreet
- Milwaukee & Chicago, or virtual