How Healthcare Advocates Support Patient Recovery

Some people perceive the US healthcare system as a minefield full of unseen dangers. High drug and provider costs, ambiguities with insurance companies, and lack of treatment information are just a few issues a person needs to tackle. Things get especially scary if you’re diagnosed with a potentially life-changing condition.

The good news is that there’s a way to address all these uncertainties and expedite the recovery process. With patient advocates at our side, we finally have a trusty friend who will help us overcome all these obstacles. These medical experts are well acquainted with the system and can give us the right advice at the right time.

In this article, we’ll explain the role of patient advocates and how they can assist us with all our medical needs.

Who Are Patient Advocates?

As the name implies, patient advocates are medical professionals who advocate for their clients, that is, patients. They assist people in many ways by serving as liaisons, providing a second opinion, finding solid providers in the patient’s area, and cooperating with insurance companies. The best thing yet is that they will not only hasten your recovery, but they might also save you money along the way.

The general idea is that a patient advocate will address all medical-related issues you might have during the treatment and recovery. They work with insurance companies, medical providers, pharmacies, case managers, lawyers, and even your own employer.

In theory, anyone can fulfill the role of a patient advocate, for example, a family member or a friend who knows enough about medicine. In practice, this is a task for trained professionals such as nurse advocates. These medical providers have the knowledge and experience to perform all these tasks while keeping your best interest in mind.

Main Duties of Patient Advocate

Given the complexity of a standard medical process, patient advocates have a lot on their plates. In fact, they’re often hired by chronic and terminally ill patients who can’t tackle all these administrative tasks themselves. This makes the profession rather exhausting and skill-dependent.

Despite all the hardships, being a nurse advocate is very rewarding. You take care of a person from the initial diagnosis through their therapies, recovery, and post-treatment visits. Here are the main ways a patient advocate assists a person:

• Finds the best providers in the state or broader area.
• Set up appointments and follow-ups.
• Provides support resources, such as contacts of various support groups, transport companies, and insurance companies.
• Negotiating with insurance companies and medical providers.
• Reviewing your healthcare coverage and providers’ obligations toward you.
• Explaining the entire treatment process to the patient.
• Serving as a liaison between doctors and patients, as well as between patients and other entities.
• Resolving various disputes between a client and other entities.
• Assisting patients in filling out various forms and applications.
• Fulfilling all of the patient’s medical and non-medical wishes.
• Keeping track of treatment and its success.
• Integrating family and friends into the treatment process.
• Answering all questions that a person might have.

In practice, the list might be even longer. As a patient advocate, you’re meant to assist your client no matter their needs.

Patient Advocates’ Place of Employment

Patient advocates sometimes work for large hospitals, but they’re more commonly a part of specialized companies. Many of them also work as freelancers, providing consulting and other services to their clients. Here’s where you can find these medical experts:

• Hospitals

Many hospitals nowadays have nurse advocates on their payroll. These experts serve as ancillary staff and are primarily meant to resolve conflicts and answer questions that a patient might have. They usually stay in contact with a person even after they’re discharged, monitoring their recovery progress.

• Insurance Companies

While this might sound like a conflict of interest, some insurance companies hire nurse advocates. Insurance businesses use medical professionals to help out their insurers, which might also reduce the final expenses for their organisation.

• Non-Profit Organizations

As we become older and older society, there are more non-profit organizations that assist terminally and chronically ill people. These entities often provide nurse advocates free of charge, serving people who don’t have enough money for effective treatment and recovery.

• Independent Contractors

Nowadays, there are many freelancers in this niche. As soon as you finish a nursing school and get some experience under your belt, you can offer these services to the patients in need. Generally speaking, independent contractors are the most motivated group to help patients and don’t have any bias toward them.

Skills Required for Nurse Advocates

To perform this job at a high level, you need to have a combination of professional and soft skills. An expert must have a keen knowledge of different medical conditions, drugs, current healthcare policies, and insurance. On top of that, a good nurse advocate is a good listener and can mediate between different sides.

• Interpersonal Skills

After being employed by a client, a patient advocate will have to represent their interests in front of doctors and other medical personnel. They must have negotiated with insurance companies and lawyers on top of that. They should be able to explain the situation and medical condition to the patient and their loved ones.

• Empathy

Like all other medical professionals, nurse advocates should be compassionate toward their clients. They need to understand their point of view and conduct themselves accordingly. That way, they will make the entire journey that much easier for the client.

• Problem-Oriented

When handling difficult cases, many situations are grayish. In some instances, not even doctors are sure how to behave with a patient, which is why you need to step in. Not only should you explain different options to a patient, but you should also assist them in finding the best treatment, drugs, and other solutions.

Last Thoughts

Patient advocates assist people by handling various medical and administrative tasks. They serve as a buffer between them and other entities, allowing patients to focus on their recovery. By hiring a patient advocate, not only do you improve your chance of recovery, but you also save money on administrative expenses.