Health advocates strive to make the health care process easier for patients.
Health advocates are consultants to patients in the health care process. Whether in dealing with insurance companies or understanding treatment plans, health advocates strive to make the process easier for patients. A health advocate might be on staff at a hospital or work for a non-profit organization, such as a cancer foundation. Some health advocates work in public policy, lobbying for legislation and medical standards that will improve people's health. In May 2010, most health advocates earn anywhere between $29,000 and $60,000 a year, with a national median salary of $43,500, according to salary.com.
History
The health advocate position became widespread late in the 20th century, when medical professionals began placing more emphasis on patients' rights. In 1973, the American Hospital Association issued the Patient's Bill of Rights, asserting that patients have the right to respectful care and the right to make their own decisions. Health advocates, as liaisons between patients and doctors or insurance companies, help ensure that such rights are not violated.
Purpose
Many patients seek out a health advocate when their insurance company denies them coverage for a treatment. Health advocates help the patient navigate the bureaucratic maze of a private insurance company, Medicare or Medicaid. If a doctor recommends a course of treatment that the patient does not understand or is not comfortable with, the health advocate discusses the matter with the doctor or hospital staff and tries to achieve a mutually agreeable resolution. The goal is to get the most out of office visits and help the patient avoid medication and diagnostic errors.
Responsibilities
The exact job description of a health advocate depends on the employer. Some health advocates work directly for hospitals or doctors groups. They still work on behalf of patients, but also must take into account the interests of their employer. In such circumstances a health advocate can end up as more of a customer-service representative, receiving and working to resolve patients' complaints. A health advocate who works for a nonprofit organization might have more freedom to aggressively defend patients' rights, even if that means suggesting a change of doctors or hospitals.
Skills
The Society for Healthcare Consumer Advocacy, a division of the American Hospital Association, identified nine domains of practice as paramount for health advocates. The domains are: Patient rights, grievance and complaint management, measuring patient satisfaction, interpersonal communication, customer service, mediation and conflict resolution, crisis intervention, data management and health care management. A working knowledge of medical terminology and medical administrative policies are key skills, as is the ability to interact well with both patients and health care providers.
Training
Most health advocacy employers require a bachelor's degree. A typical health advocate's college major might be in health administration, premed, biology or nursing. Other helpful areas of study include communications and conflict resolution, since interacting with ailing and frustrated patients is a common part of the job. Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, N.Y., is currently the only U.S. school that offers a master's degree in health advocacy. The program offers courses in physiology, history, law, health policy and ethics. It takes into account the evolving nature of what it describes as a new profession.
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