Having a patient advocate can be life-changing for those who are struggling to manage their care effectively, especially for those who are aging. They help patients navigate the healthcare system, ensure that their rights are protected, and provide a source of emotional support during challenging times. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of working with a patient advocate, and how they can empower you to make informed decisions about your health.
First of all, what is a health or patient advocate? Put simply, an advocate is someone who serves as a liaison between a patient and their healthcare providers. They may help review medical information with the patient, communicate with doctors and nurses, and help patients understand their treatment options and choices. Advocates can be hired by patients or their families as independent patient advocates, or they may work for organizations like hospitals or healthcare providers. But no matter how they’re hired, advocates are always focused on supporting the patient and ensuring they have access to the care, information, and treatment they need.
With independent patient advocates their sole responsibility is to their clients without sharing their alliance with any entity or facility. Independent advocates are most often private pay but some long term care insurance policies may provide coverage.
There are many types of advocates. Nurses, therapists, social workers, patients, family members, pharmacists, medical billers and coders, people with hospital administration background, the list is endless. How do you know what kind of advocate you need?
There are advocates specializing in children with chronic illnesses, advocates to help you deal with medical bills or healthcare legal issues. You can find an advocate that works with chronic diseases. The most important thing is that you can find an advocate that can help you manage and navigate the healthcare system as well as help you reach your healthcare goals.
1. Helps You Navigate the Health System
One of the biggest benefits of having a health advocate is that they can help make the medical world less overwhelming. For many patients, there’s so much information to take in that it can be hard to know where to start. Advocates can help patients break down information into manageable chunks, provide clear explanations of what’s happening, and offer guidance on next steps. They can also help patients navigate the healthcare system itself, including scheduling appointments, finding resources, and managing insurance claims.
Patient advocates can help you navigate the complex healthcare system, including understanding your insurance coverage, care options, and medical bills. They can also help you find the right specialist or treatment that fits your needs. Professionals in this area often have years of experience working in healthcare and are familiar with the ins and outs of the system. They can help eliminate any confusion or frustration you may face when trying to find the right care for your condition.
The medical world can be incredibly overwhelming, especially for those who are facing complex medical conditions or chronic illnesses. When you’re dealing with something like this, you’re not just managing your physical health – you’re also managing a whole host of emotions and logistical challenges. This is where health or patient advocates come in: they provide much-needed support, guidance, and advocacy to patients and their families. But in the midst of all this, how do you find the right advocate?
2. Personalized Support
Patient advocates can provide a personalized approach to managing your care. They understand your medical history, symptoms, and individual needs. They work with you to create a care plan that is tailored to your specific needs. They can also provide emotional support and connect you with other resources in your area that can help with additional support.
As an R.N. of over 40 years my story of becoming a Board-Certified Patient Advocate started when an elderly couple from church asked me to stop by their home on a Sunday afternoon. She realized she was getting forgetful and stopped going to church because she was afraid she would forget the names of her friends she had known for years. She and her husband asked me if I could help. They had one request. Keep her home and don’t put her in a nursing home. Her husband said, please don’t take her away from me. I want her home.
I shared that it may be tough to make that happen as things progressed but I accepted the challenge. In less than 9 months her Alzheimer’s progressed to the final stages. It went so fast.
Despite behaviors, eloping, eating and drinking things that she should not, we kept the home safe with alarms, locks, cabinet locks, etc. We ended up with 24/7 caregivers in the home that we arranged with private caregivers, agency caregivers, friends, neighbors, and church family.
The road was not without its bumps or challenges. We continued to modify the plan as things changed. We never know which Betty would show up. The one that remembered her husband or the one that thought he was a stranger trying to cause him harm. It broke his heart. He ended passing unexpectedly before Betty. This case tugged at my heart strings, and I knew if I could help this family, which in this blog just shared a brief snippet of what went on, I knew I could help others. This is when I decided to become a patient advocate and explore this profession.
3. Saves You Time and Money
Working with a patient advocate can save you both time and money. They can take care of the logistics surrounding medical care, such as scheduling appointments, communicating with doctors, and managing insurance claims. By doing so, they minimize the time you must spend on these tasks and reduce the likelihood that you make costly mistakes.
4. Empowers Your Decision-Making
A patient advocate can provide you with vital information needed to make informed decisions about your health. They can offer an unbiased overview of your options and help you weigh the pros and cons of each decision. When informed, you are empowered to make decisions that will benefit you in the long run. Thus working with a patient advocate leads to better health outcomes.
Another key benefit of having a health advocate is that it can help empower patients and their families to make informed decisions about healthcare. Sometimes, patients don’t feel comfortable asking questions of their healthcare providers or advocating for themselves. Advocates can help fill this gap by asking questions on the patient’s behalf, ensuring the patient understands what’s happening, and helping them evaluate treatment options. In the end, this ensures that the patient is an active participant in their own healthcare journey.
5. Provides Support
Aging and health conditions can bring emotional challenges in addition to physical ones. Patient advocates can provide emotional support and help patients navigate difficult emotional experiences. They can connect you with support groups and help you develop coping strategies that support your mental health as well.
Additionally, health advocates can provide critical emotional support to patients and their families. Receiving a diagnosis or managing a chronic illness can be incredibly isolating, but
advocates can help patients feel less alone. They can provide a listening ear, offer coping strategies for managing stress or anxiety, and generally be a supportive presence throughout the patient’s journey. This can be especially helpful for aging adults who may feel like they’re burdening their loved ones.
6. Finally, health advocates can help ensure that patients receive the best possible care.
By serving as a liaison between the patient and their healthcare providers, advocates can help identify potential errors or communication gaps in the system. They can also help patients navigate tricky treatment decisions or advocate for second opinions if necessary. All of this ensures that the patient’s care is optimized and that they are receiving the highest quality care possible.
How do you find the right advocate? There are a few “advocate finding services” out there. There can be fees associated with the “advocate finder” platforms. The Greater Advocate Now platform is a place you can start to find an advocate. Another one is UMBRA where you can look for an advocate in their directory. We do have patient and health advocates that we work with and know, like, and trust, in our Patient Advocate Match Directory as well. The important thing is that we recommend the advocate is Board-Certified in Patient Advocacy and will carry the credentials: BCPA after their name. This assures you that they are practicing under the strictest guidelines ensuring you are receiving the professional care you deserve.
Conclusion:
For anyone navigating the medical world, health and patient advocates can be an invaluable resource. They provide support, guidance, and advocacy to patients and their families, helping to make the medical world less overwhelming and more manageable. Whether you’re dealing with a complex medical condition, a chronic illness, or just trying to navigate the healthcare system, having an advocate in your corner can help empower you to make informed decisions about your health and well-being. So if you’re feeling adrift in the medical world, consider reaching out to a health advocate to help you chart a course forward.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by today. If you are looking for more resources we also have our 2024 Senior Care Summit coming up March 1, 2024. We will have 28 speakers with 28 different topics related to supporting aging adults. You can learn more HERE.
We will see you back here soon for another article to help you along your healthcare journey!
Pam
Patient Advocate Match, LLC | A healthcare professional services directory
“Matching the Right Resources for the Right Reasons.”
