For many people in the United 1 States undergoing
a medical procedure can be a stressful, confusing, and
sometimes overwhelming ordeal. However, a new career
path is emerging, and it promises to bring welcome
relief to distraught families: Patient Advocate. Patient
advocates 2 confiscate the rights of patients by helping
them research treatment options or fill out confusing
insurance forms. Sometimes, a patient advocate will even
act as a spokesperson for his or her patients. This variety of
tasks 3 attracts individuals with an equally broad range of
experience; some are former healthcare providers and some
are not.
However, there is a downside to this low threshold to
4 entry, in the absence of a formal accreditation program,
not all healthcare professionals believe that patient
advocates possess the knowledge commensurate with their
potential influence. 5 Given that some doctors welcome
patient advocates into the decision-making process, others
are reluctant to add another voice to the conversation.
6 They argue that patient advocates often lack medical
expertise, and that they may misuse their influence to sway a
patient against a doctor’s sound advice. Insurance providers
voice similar concerns, noting that the field of patient
advocacy lacks the standardization and accreditation which
would qualify it as a meaningful medical service. As a
result, most insurers are unwilling to provide coverage for
patient advocates, meaning that patients must pay for this
service out of their own pocket.
7 The variety of experience which characterizes
the field of patient advocacy is one of its most significant
advantages. It must decide whether to continue opening
the doors of this field to all who wish to enter, or to limit
its practitioners to 8 they who can complete standardized
training and accreditation programs. If the field of patient
advocacy were to 9 argue its current lack of regulation,
it would continue to attract individuals with a variety
of backgrounds and skill sets; however, it would also
sacrifice the trust of doctors and insurance providers.
This potentially beneficial field would become rife with
amateurs, and public confidence in their ability to improve
medical outcomes would suffer.
10 It is critical that both physicians and insurance
providers alike take the time to carefully evaluate the
contributions of patient advocates, rather than leaping to
conclusions. Like other medical professionals, patient
advocates should complete an approved program of
study and commit to specific professional norms. Further
down the road, a clear set of best practices supported by
solid research must be developed. 11 Considering the
complicated nature of today’s healthcare industry, there will
always be a job market for individuals who have expertise in
navigating this field.
a medical procedure can be a stressful, confusing, and
sometimes overwhelming ordeal. However, a new career
path is emerging, and it promises to bring welcome
relief to distraught families: Patient Advocate. Patient
advocates 2 confiscate the rights of patients by helping
them research treatment options or fill out confusing
insurance forms. Sometimes, a patient advocate will even
act as a spokesperson for his or her patients. This variety of
tasks 3 attracts individuals with an equally broad range of
experience; some are former healthcare providers and some
are not.
However, there is a downside to this low threshold to
4 entry, in the absence of a formal accreditation program,
not all healthcare professionals believe that patient
advocates possess the knowledge commensurate with their
potential influence. 5 Given that some doctors welcome
patient advocates into the decision-making process, others
are reluctant to add another voice to the conversation.
6 They argue that patient advocates often lack medical
expertise, and that they may misuse their influence to sway a
patient against a doctor’s sound advice. Insurance providers
voice similar concerns, noting that the field of patient
advocacy lacks the standardization and accreditation which
would qualify it as a meaningful medical service. As a
result, most insurers are unwilling to provide coverage for
patient advocates, meaning that patients must pay for this
service out of their own pocket.
7 The variety of experience which characterizes
the field of patient advocacy is one of its most significant
advantages. It must decide whether to continue opening
the doors of this field to all who wish to enter, or to limit
its practitioners to 8 they who can complete standardized
training and accreditation programs. If the field of patient
advocacy were to 9 argue its current lack of regulation,
it would continue to attract individuals with a variety
of backgrounds and skill sets; however, it would also
sacrifice the trust of doctors and insurance providers.
This potentially beneficial field would become rife with
amateurs, and public confidence in their ability to improve
medical outcomes would suffer.
10 It is critical that both physicians and insurance
providers alike take the time to carefully evaluate the
contributions of patient advocates, rather than leaping to
conclusions. Like other medical professionals, patient
advocates should complete an approved program of
study and commit to specific professional norms. Further
down the road, a clear set of best practices supported by
solid research must be developed. 11 Considering the
complicated nature of today’s healthcare industry, there will
always be a job market for individuals who have expertise in
navigating this field.