Friday, June 13, 2014

Functions Of A Patient Advocate In The Society

By Sally Delacruz


Provision of advocacy services has been termed as one of the fastest upcoming career. According to US News &World report and the Entrepreneur magazine, advocacy has been identified as career that is emerging on its own. Medical professionals, social workers, entrepreneurs looking at an emerging market niche are examples of people who have the skills, interest and even the qualifications to become a patient advocate. This is because advocacy has many aspects.

The health care system, irrespective of the country you hail from, has become extremely tenuous that patients have to find an intermediary between themselves and the health provider. Doctors and nurses are not sufficient anymore to help us navigate through the many problems in the system. Professional private advocates become the best option for patients.

Advocates may help you in way like pursuing insurance claims, helping you understand a disease and its treatment or may even monitor your progress from home. Medical advocacy remains one of the most important type of advocacy in determining the outcome of a medical process.

A medical advocate will take part in the deliberations between the sick individual and the doctor. It is the duty of the specialist to help clients make up his mind on tough medical decisions, monitor hospital services to ensure the person gets the best and closely look in the medication such drugs to ensure they are correct dosage. He or she may even ensure the sick is in appropriate conditions to prevent the risk of infection.

Advocacy services may include activities such as transporting sick people to nursing homes. This is very essential especially when the clients are ageing people. They have to ensure the whole process is done smoothly. Sometimes they help in payment services if need be.

It is the role of the expert to enlighten the sick person of the procedures and guidelines set by the health provider. He acts as the go in between the patient and health care provider. It is in this regard that regard that he is supposed to give the medic any necessary information on before of his client. In some cases the sick person is silent and the specialist talks to the doctor on his behalf.

There is no special accreditation or license that is required to venture in this field, institutions such as colleges and universities have come up with special program mes meant to equip advocates with skills. They organize workshops and others even offer certificates. Basic legal knowledge is also of benefit. One is required to be updated on legislation and rules that have been enacted with regard to self advocacy services. Therefore self education is paramount.

Personal skills are very necessary in the delivery of these services. In fact those persons who are caring, empathetic and can put themselves in the shoes of their clients are the best in this field. A family member, a child, a spouse or even a chaplain may play the role of an advocate. Services of professionals such as doctors or nurses may also be sought.




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