Why Patient Advocates Are Important

As patients, we rely on our doctors to provide us with information and guidance when it comes to our health. But, often, appointments go quickly and so many things are discussed in an appointment it is hard to keep track. This is where patient advocates come into play. Patient advocates are individuals who support and provide guidance to navigate the system to help you achieve the best health outcome possible. They can provide information that addresses your concerns and answers questions you or your family may have. The nurse advocate will communicate with your doctors to assure your concerns are being addressed. Patient advocates are there to ease the burden and stress.

Finding your way through the increasingly complex medical world is confusing and frustrating. I have observed the failings of today’s healthcare system firsthand. As a nurse, as a loved one, and even as a patient myself.

There was a time when physicians and nurses had more time to spend with each patient. Now due to an overload of paperwork and health insurance mandates placed on doctors and hospitals the medical care system has lost its intimacy with patients and their families. The medical and nursing domain has changed over the years. The nursing I fell in love with decades ago allowed us to be with our patients more. As a nurse advocate, I once again get to focus on you and your family and to advocate on your behalf. Choosing to enter nursing is a true calling. All too often, the profession is viewed now as more of a job or means of employment than a noble line of work. However, this shift doesn’t fall solely on the individuals.

Improve the quality of patient care
Encourage a return to the personal physician-patient relationship

Some pressing issues facing healthcare today are fragmented care, high costs, and uneven access. All of which creates an overburdened and inefficient system that ultimately leaves patients lacking. Nurse advocates bridge the gap.

Addressing these challenges will require everyone in the healthcare system to work together and make some difficult decisions. It is clear that change is needed, but it’s also evident that there are no easy solutions. Patient advocates can help alleviate some of the most common pain points.

Improve patient satisfaction by addressing common pain points
Ease the burden on healthcare providers by advocating for patients
Reduce wait times and improve care with proactive solutions
Ensure that patients have a voice in their own care

While patient advocacy can’t resolve the system’s inadequacies, it does serve as a supplement. A patient advocate helps interpret, unravel, and make sense of the medical world. It is simply someone to turn to that is entirely on your side, in your corner, and always available. Someone who makes you feel like it isn’t you against the world—as the patient or as the family member. Working with a patient advocate is akin to having a medical professional in the family. Someone with the experience and knowledge to explain, simplify and organize. But above all, it’s someone who cares.

Relief and support for you and your family
Experienced nurses who know how to handle the medical system
Simplify complex information and help inform you of options
Connect you to additional resources and valuable contacts

The role of patient advocacy is to supplement the system, not replace it. However, by providing our care to patients and families, advocates help make the medical world more manageable. They serve as a translator between doctors and patients, helping to unravel complex medical information and making it easier for patients to understand their treatments. Most importantly, patient advocates provide compassion, care, support, and empathy.

You are not alone. If you or someone you love could benefit from having a patient advocate in your corner, don’t hesitate to reach out for help.

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Why Patient Advocates Are Important

Table of Contents

Introduction

Do you need a patient advocate?

The role of a patient advocate

consultation