I occasionally read the “Nurse Advocate,” Anne Llewellyn, who has a LinkedIn Pulse site. In a recent post, she explains what a patient advocate is and how an advocate can help. The author says: “Everyone needs an advocate when they are thrust into the complex word of health care.” A physician made the following comment on the blog post: “The system is difficult to navigate for those with healthcare experience, yet alone the layperson. Healthcare itself is not a safe place.”
The author says: “Keep in mind advocates do not provide hands-on care, but rather do research, meet with your health care team to understand the plan of care to ensure it meets your individual needs. Advocates work on your behalf to break down barriers that exist in our complex system and ensure you are safe and have the information and resources to navigate the system and make decisions to address your individual needs. They ensure you have a voice in your care and are at the center of the health care system.”
There are several kinds of advocates – Independent Patient Advocates, Hospital Advocates, Billing Advocates, and Housing Advocates. Although the author says that there are many ways to find an advocate, the only method suggested in the article is a web search.
Here’s a link to the article:
www.linkedin.com/pulse/everyon
Everyone needs an advocate when they are thrust into the complex world of health care
Published on May 16, 2017
by Anne Llewellyn, nurse advocate
LinkedIn Pulse