Caring. Compassionate.
Coordinated. Custom-tailored.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a patient advocate?
A patient advocate is someone who supports a patient through their journey of interacting with the healthcare system. The advocate can be involved in as little, or as much, of the healthcare journey as you choose.
I trust my doctor to give me the right information. Why do I need a patient advocate?
Your doctor is a professional who is trained to give you information; however, the time available for reviewing your options with you is limited. Do you know the average office visit is only 8-12 minutes long? An advocate can help you make efficient use of that time, getting information quickly, and a direction for further evaluation and decision-making.
Will a patient advocate make healthcare decisions for me?
Generally, no. An advocate’s role is to provide you with information about your options to help you make your own decisions. If you choose, you can designate someone else, even your private professional patient advocate, to make healthcare decisions for you at any point in your healthcare journey. We will discuss this early in our engagement to ensure we are clear about decision-making authority and responsibility.
Do you teach your patients how to advocate for themselves?
Yes. My goal is to give you the skills you need to advocate for yourself, if that is what you want to achieve from this engagement. I will communicate with you in advance of healthcare appointments or engagements so we are collaborating on our approach to achieve your goals.
Does health insurance cover the cost of a patient advocate?
Some health insurance plans provide their own patient advocates. They work for the insurance company to help control costs by interacting with patients and providers to select least costly treatment plans.
Private professional patient advocates are paid privately by the patient who contracts for their services. One benefit of a private patient advocate is we work for YOU and represent YOU.
Will you talk to my family about my decisions?
I will maintain our confidential relationship and support you to ensure your decisions are respected and maintained according to your wishes. I encourage everyone to be open with their families about their decisions. If you need help talking with your family about your choices, I will help you with these conversations.