Patient Representatives and Health Advocates
Patient representatives are also known as health advocates, patient advocates, and ombudsmen. Historically they worked primarily in hospitals, but now they work in other health care arenas as well to assist patients and their families deal with health and medical issues and to advocate for the patient.
Duties, Activities, and Scope of Practice
This is a relatively new career and the duties may differ from one employer to another. The basic premise is to improve the outcomes for the patient as well as improve patient satisfaction with the care provided.
Hospitalization in particular is a stressful situation to all involved. Patients and family members experience a sense of loss of control and independence. They often do not understand a lot of what is happening and feel they have no rights or options. This is not true. Patients have rights as well as responsibilities. Most institutions adhere to the American Hospital Association's “Patients Bill of Rights” or one that their state has adopted. A list of these rights is given and/ or read to patients upon admission to the facility. Hospitals are in competition for patients and have a vested interest in making sure their patients understand their rights and are satisfied with the level of care they receive.
Question
How do patient advocates improve patient outcomes?
They assist patients and families in understanding and dealing with policies, procedures, and personnel in hospitals, clinics, and other ambulatory care settings. They also help patients to understand their diagnosis, treatment, and procedures. Health advocates listen to patients, intervene if there is a dispute or problem, and educate patients (and the general public) about health care issues and patients' rights and responsibilities.
Education and Training
Sarah Lawrence College in New York has the only formal master's degree program in health care advocacy. However, many colleges and universities offer courses in health care advocacy. Ombudsman programs are available through many government or private programs across the country to assist the elderly in understanding their health care options.
Because this is such a new profession, many employers have very different expectations for the education and training of the professionals they hire. It is fairly standard, however, that employers expect health care advocates to have a bachelor's degree in some area of health care or social services, and those who have studied health care advocacy as part of their curriculum will have an advantage.
Courses of study and experience recommended by the National Society for Patient Representation and Consumer Affairs include human relations, communication, conflict negotiation, medical terminology, supervision, and management. Other useful courses include microeconomics, social and behavioral sciences, and a foreign language such as Spanish.
Licensure/Certification
There are currently no licensing or certification requirements or programs, but in keeping with the rest of the health care industry, trends indicate that there will be some in the future.
Work Settings and Salaries
Health care advocates primarily work in hospitals, but other ambulatory care settings are beginning to utilize them as well. This can be particularly true in areas where English is not the predominant language of the consumer.
Advocates may also work in nursing homes, residential care facilities for the disabled as well as the elderly, ambulatory care centers for the physically or mentally disabled, and schools. Some advocates work for disease-related foundations, and some are political lobbyists.
Salaries vary greatly from one employer to another and with geographic locations. Salary studies have reported incomes ranging from $20,000 to $60,000, depending upon education, experience, and type of employment. Some advocates work as independent contractors and consultants, and their fees vary greatly as well.
Career Potential and Additional Information
Several factors will influence the job outlook for health advocacy. Cost-containment efforts may reduce staffing in some hospitals, but many consider health advocates vital to their survival and ability to attract patients in an era when patient consumerism is increasing. An aging and growing population presents many more issues between patients and institutions. Combine all this with the fact that a proactive approach to health care is demonstrating a tremendous savings in the long run, and health care advocacy looks to be a strong and growing field well into the next decade.
You can find more information about this emerging profession from the Society for Healthcare Consumer Advocacy of the American Hospital Association. Their Web site is
