When you have a medical condition, whether it’s something that requires a hospital stay or outpatient care, it can be a scary time. You will no doubt spend a lot of time speaking to doctors and experts, and if you don’t have anyone by your side, you may feel lonely and overwhelmed. That’s why many people hire a patient advocate to be by their side during this time. Here are three reasons why you should consider it, too.
#1 If you don’t have loved ones to help out
Many of the people who hire a patient advocate do so because they don’t have a loved one to help out. It may be because they live away from family, or they simply aren’t ready to tell people like their friends that they are going through health issues. However, when you go for tests or to see specialists, it’s highly recommended that you have someone by your side, and a patient advocate can be there to listen and help guide you through the process.
#2 They can help translate medical jargon
Doctors are supposed to talk to you in simple, understandable terms, but many of them use too much medical jargon when they talk to patients, which can leave you feeling confused and isolated. Even worse, when you are going through a distressing time and have medical issues, you might not be in the right state of mind to ask questions, so you may leave the consultation feeling confused.
A patient advocate isn’t a doctor, but they have enough medical knowledge to be able to help you communicate with your physician. They can ask the doctor to explain certain terms and encourage you to ask questions, so you get a clear picture of what’s happening.
It’s also common for patients to forget information when they walk away from their appointment, so having someone else there can be helpful for remembering the key points.
#3 Managing your healthcare can feel like a full-time job
When you have an illness or medical condition, there’s so much admin and so many medications and rules to remember on a day-to-day basis. Some things you may need help with could include:
- Remembering which medications to take and when
- Scheduling appointments – especially if you’re seeing multiple specialists
- Following your routine – i.e., daily exercises set by the doctor or recommended tasks
- Sorting out all the paperwork and claims
Dealing with all these little tasks means you may not have time to relax, heal, and focus on your recovery. A patient advocate can take care of these things, so you can focus on living a healthy lifestyle and taking care of yourself.
The healthcare system can be complex and hard to navigate at times, so you need someone on your side who can fight for your corner and ensure you get the best care, get seen when needed, and take care of yourself too. A patient advocate is someone who can do all these things, which means you don’t feel so alone and can simply focus on managing your condition and staying well.
