The Value of Healthcare Advocacy
I always knew I wanted to be a nurse. There was never a time in my childhood that I did not think I wanted to be a nurse and I always loved the idea of helping people. When I started working as a nurse, I realized it wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be. I often didn’t have the opportunity to develop the personal relationships with patients that I thought I would. What I am doing now, professional independent health advocacy, is what I imagined a career in nursing to look like; the opportunity to guide and support patients, helping those who are vulnerable and confused as they attempt to find their way through the healthcare system.
Professional health advocacy is a growing profession. Healthcare providers and lay people who have had an “experience” with the healthcare system have been providing advocacy services for many years, but it’s never been recognized as a professional service. Because of the complexity and the way our healthcare system is structured, it has become a need for everyone to have a healthcare advocate. There are times when family and friends are appropriate advocates, but there are times when that is no longer true. The profession of health advocacy is like other professions, such as law and accounting. It makes sense to hire an accountant to help get the best out of your taxes and the same goes for a lawyer if you are needing legal help. This is also true when navigating our healthcare system. For people who do not have the ability to find, understand and use health related information or understand how the healthcare system works, hiring an advocate with healthcare background knowledge is invaluable.
Reasons You Need a Professional Advocate
You don’t know what you don’t know. If you know the questions to ask, in most situations you can typically find the answer. What happens when you don’t know the right questions to ask? Not knowing the questions or answers means you may never get what you need. Having a patient advocate who keeps up with processes, has the navigational knowledge, knows the resources to find the most current information, and is willing to do so for one individual will result in the best outcomes for your situation.
When dealing with health issues, emotions such as fear, uncertainty, doubt, and guilt get in the way. Professional advocates will provide the peace of mind needed to move forward. They will invest in your care and outcomes and can balance out your emotions with a more objective reality.
Medical providers have limited time to spend with their patients. Doctors face mounting demands on their time. They must spend more time on documentation and administrative tasks now more than ever, limiting the time they have for explaining things and answering patient questions. Patient advocates are obligated only to their clients and to getting them the information that is right for them. Few patients get everything they need from their provider. A health advocate works for you and has your best interests in mind.
No one is coordinating your care. Not only do providers have limited time to talk with their patients, they also have limited time to communicate with each other. Coordinating care consists of making sure records from other doctors are reviewed and conversations with other doctors take place. It is very time consuming. The more complex the problem, the more time it takes. A private advocate can act as your care coordinator. They can review your medical records with you to make sure they are correct, make sure all the pieces fit together when there is a transition of care and coordinate details and information, sharing that information with children who live elsewhere.
You need protection from medical mistakes. Medical errors are the number three killer in the US, this doesn’t include people being prescribed the wrong drug or being misdiagnosed. Private advocates can help prevent medical errors by finding second opinions, coordinating care among providers, asking the right questions and coordinating/overseeing the transitions of care.
Healthcare advocacy is a worthwhile service that can help anyone dealing with any type of health issue, but it's even more valuable when you're in a situation when you don't know where to turn. If you've been feeling anxious about your healthcare and aren't sure what to do, reach out to Sunflower Health Advocates today. We'll help you navigate the healthcare system so that you can receive the care you need, delivered on your terms.