What is a Patient Advocate? - Grants for Medical

What is a Patient Advocate – Overview

Patient advocates support patients and their families by navigating the complex healthcare system, including communication with healthcare providers, providing access to legal advice, liaising with insurance companies, and coordinating healthcare services and tests.

Patient advocates help patients in many aspects of their medical care and ensure the process is smooth and convenient.

What is the role of a Patient Advocate

A patient advocate is known by many other names, such as:

Care manager
Health advocate
Patient navigator
Ombudsman
Case manager
Patient Liaison
Medical advocate
Patient representative
Consumer advocate

Before applying for a patient advocate position, verify with the employer that the job responsibilities align with your understanding and capabilities, as the role can vary across organizations.

A patient advocate has several duties and responsibilities to fulfill in a healthcare organization. The role of a patient advocate is rewarding, offering the opportunity to ensure patients receive comprehensive care throughout their healthcare journey, from diagnosis and treatment to recovery and follow-up.

Patient advocates work with a diverse patient population, including those with chronic conditions, life-threatening illnesses, and complex healthcare needs, tailoring support to each individual’s situation.

As a patient advocate, some of the most common responsibilities you will handle:

Key Responsibilities of a Patient Advocate

Helping patients find legal and financial guidance
Arranging medical appointments and finding second opinions
Negotiating medical bills
Helping patients find support groups and other forms of social support
Resolving disputes between patients and their insurance providers
Reviewing medical bills for accuracy
Resolving conflicts between patients and their care providers
Collecting information on specific illnesses and conditions
Communicating with doctors, nurses, therapists, specialists and other healthcare providers
Representing patients to their insurance carrier
Explaining technical details to patients, such as medical bills and even diagnosis results
Keeping notes on everything that happens during a medical visit
Helping patients understand and find best-suited medical treatment and care options
Making sure patient’s needs and wishes are fulfilled when they can’t speak for themselves
Identifying areas where medical care can improve
Helping patients fill out different types of applications and forms
Supporting patient’s rights
Explaining medical chart readings, bills, and documents to patients

Regardless of your specific responsibilities, the most important aspect of working as a patient advocate is to answer their queries and resolve their doubts. The patient may seek basic medical information or simply need reassurance.

Diverse Work Settings for Patient Advocates

Patient advocates are needed in different types of settings and positions within a healthcare organization, right from clinics and hospitals to small businesses. With the increasing complexity of healthcare systems and the aging of the population, the demand for patient advocates is rising across various healthcare settings, including:

Hospitals— Hospitals usually hire patient advocates to help patients from admission to discharge.
Nursing Homes – Many senior living homes, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities also hire patient advocates.
Insurance Companies – Insurance companies also hire patient advocates to help their patient-consumers understand their insurance policies and coordinate for claims.
Health Care Advocacy Groups (nonprofits) – Some nonprofit organizations that provide patient advocacy services also hire patient advocates as volunteers or full-time employees.
Government Agencies – Some governmental agencies also hire patient advocates at the state and federal levels. This includes government-run healthcare programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare.

How to Become a Patient Advocate?

Paths to becoming a patient advocate can vary, with different employers setting their requirements for education and experience. Every employer has its own set of criteria for educational requirements, while some may offer training to new hires. Other employers may require you to have an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or a certain amount of job experience in nursing and medical billing, for example.

You can learn more about this with online training options and improve your chances of successfully working as a patient advocate with national certification.

What are the educational requirements for Becoming a patient advocate

Educational requirements for patient advocates depend on the hiring organization’s preferences, ranging from a high school diploma to advanced degrees in related fields. Some employers are okay if you have a high school diploma, while others may want you to have a higher degree, such as a bachelor’s degree.

If you are about to start college to become a patient advocate, it is highly advisable to choose a healthcare field as your major. Besides this, you can also choose social work, counseling, law and finance, and even a nursing degree to become a successful patient advocate.

Usually, most people work as patient advocates for a second career, especially if they already work in the healthcare industry. This may include certified nurses, medical billers, social workers, lawyers, and customer service representatives. In addition, you may also find employers who prefer candidates with relevant background experience.

While there is no universal degree requirement for patient advocates, many institutions offer certification programs and courses designed to equip candidates with relevant knowledge and skills. For instance, you may choose to study ethics, finance, health care law, health care system, communication, and other related topics.

Additionally, you can also earn a Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA) credential from the Patient Advocate Certification Board (PACB). This certification is open to people from varied backgrounds related to patient advocacy, from hospital volunteers to even physicians. The eligibility criteria also vary and are judged by the specific case.

To take this exam, you must first apply and provide proof of identification. This certification helps patient advocates to find more job opportunities.

What Are the Skills Needed to Be a Patient Advocate?

Successful patient advocates possess key interpersonal skills, including effective listening and communication, which are crucial for understanding and advocating for patients’ needs. The candidate should also be able to observe the patient’s body language and other non-verbal cues, especially if the patient cannot communicate clearly. Verbal and written communication skills are extremely important if you plan to work as a patient advocate.

Conclusion

Patient advocates are tasked to be liaisons between patients and healthcare providers and insurance companies. The duties of a patient advocate include communicating everything clearly to the patients and assisting them in any way possible, from navigating the treatment process to liaising with their insurance providers. Though no specific education requirement is needed, you must have excellent communication skills and inborn empathy to become a successful patient advocate.