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In Treatment, You May Need an Advocate
“The advocate’s main role is to serve as a link between patients and their health care providers. The advocate helps make sure that patients get needed treatments in a timely fashion and can alert doctors when patients fail to follow prescribed remedies.” (New York Times, October 26, 2009)
Ahead of the Curve: Patient Advocate
“The confluence of aging baby boomers with an ever more complex, cost-conscious healthcare system means unlimited demand for a persuasive, persistent person willing to do the vital work of patient advocacy. Some hospitals and HMOs hire nurses and social workers as patient advocates, but there remains a huge unmet need, which may be filled by self-employed advocates.” (U.S. News & World Report, December 19, 2007)
For When a Doctor and a Nurse Just Aren’t Enough
“It’s helpful to have someone at your bedside in the hospital to make sure overworked nurses notice if your vital signs are going downhill or to ensure that the right medications are given at the right time. It’s good to have someone who can get on the Web and research your disease. And it’s important to have someone to take notes during doctor visits and ask the questions you forget.” (Boston Globe, May 1, 2006)
How To Find a Good Patient Advocate
“What if someone had been there to ask the right questions and ease the family’s trauma? Enter the patient advocate, part of a growing field. Advocates, who are often former nurses or other health professionals, link patients and the health-care system. They can help get an elusive doctor’s appointment, research treatments, file medical paperwork, or persuade an insurance company to cover a procedure. They might also stand in for faraway relatives by accompanying an ailing person to appointments or sitting at a hospital bedside.” (Consumer Reports, May 5, 2008)
What Services Do Patient Advocates Offer?
“This type of advocacy requires knowledge of the healthcare system, and a medical background. Advocates who provide medical assistance can help review diagnoses, treatment options, medical records and test reports, they may accompany a patient to appointments, monitor the patient at the bedside in a hospital or be a good choice for a healthcare proxy.” (About.com, Patient Empowerment, March 31, 2009)
Patient Advocates Offer Moral and Practical Support
“It’s important to choose someone who can be assertive without being antagonistic . . . You want a coalition builder, not someone who is going to be a divisive force when you want your health care team to be on your side.” (St. Petersburg Times, April 9, 2009)