As our health care system becomes more cumbersome and confusing, one thing does become clearer:
Patients are not in a position to process medical information, properly identify and evaluate the available options and pursue the treatment that is best suited for their physical condition or their emotional circumstances.
Whether it's you, your spouse or children, your parents, a relative or close friend, anyone navigating the increasingly complex medical maze these days is ill-prepared to know who or what to believe. The chances of receiving a mis-diagnosis by a doctor or of a medical error occurring in a hospital or treatment facility are far greater than many people think. And studies continue to document that far too many patients either undergo tests or procedures they don't really need or are not properly informed of their medical condition and the treatment options at their disposal.
Purpose
Look up the word "advocate" and you'll find the definition to be "one that pleads the cause of another." That is, essentially, what a patient advocate does; provides consultation and counsel to those with questions or concerns about the medical information or recommendations that have been communicated to them. Advocating within the medical world requires not only a considerable amount of knowledge and experience, but also a commitment to serve as an active ally on behalf of the patient.
A patient advocate serves as an all-encompassing resource, someone who is as passionate as they are proficient in pursuing the best possible result or resolution. Whether it's providing understandable background information about a specific medical condition, making sense of a doctor's report or test result, or facilitating a follow-up appointment or second opinion, an advocate puts a patient's mind at ease and allows that person to access and receive the best that the health care field has to offer.
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