Patient Advocate And The Significance Of Their Service

By Arline Bradley


These individuals are primarily concerned with the care of patients and whether they have got sufficient knowledge about health plans. Patient advocate is a role that can be played by an individual or also by an organization that specializes in these services.

Advocates act as link between the health care provider and the patients. Those who engage in this job mostly have a background in social work or other areas such as health care. Perfect examples of these people are doctors and nurses. In the study of ethics in nursing, this advocacy is one of the major areas that are emphasized.

Advocacy may entail simple responsibilities such as overseeing the transport of patients and supervising their transfer into nursing homes.

Though no licensing or special qualifications are required to offer these services, institutions such as colleges and universities have come up with special programme 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.

This advocacy ensures that the client is sufficiently informed to ensure that he remains aware of the various procedures and requirements set by the health provider and other requirements. He or She may separately help the health care provider with relevant communication or issue concerning the patient. He or she simply acts as a link between the two. The advocate can therefore contribute immensely to the successful treatment of the patient by ensuring that the latter does not undergo any unnecessary fear, strain or anxiety when confronting issues such as basic formalities.

He or she may go a notch higher to ensure that the client and the family have access to published medical materials that he or she deems necessary for them to have. This involves having family members kept abreast with what is happening with regard to the patient. He or she also keeps a close eye on the medical records and the general treatment of the former so as to ensure correctness and compliance. More to this, he or she may be involved in dispute resolution on behalf of the patient. This may entail filing suits or seeking the intervention of government bodies that ensure patient protection or even the help bodies that play oversight roles. Another important role is that of ensuring that information of the client is confidential does not get into public domain and if need be it must with his or her consent.

Advocates may also be members of organizations that investigate and offer advice on healthcare issues. In these reports they ensure that the interests of the patients are safeguarded. Since some of these people are professionals, they agitate for the best practices in matters of provision of health services. The government has bolstered these efforts by setting up offices that ensure these practices are promoted and handle complains.

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 the patient are the best for the job. A family member, a child, a spouse or even a chaplain may play this role. Services of professionals such as doctors or nurses may also be sought.




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