Choose a Patient or Health Advocate to Settle Issues
The office of patient advocate services: Person can get an idea of medical expenses when he admitted in a hospital. Numbers of medical bills, claims, statements, x-rays, reports and so on are hammering on a desk. The confusing medical system could make it difficult to arrive at a proper diagnosis and treatment. Many people have had terrible experiences in the health care system.
The money spent on medical care and the abuses in it has created an opportunity for a new profession, ‘The Patient Advocate’. Patients often hire an advocate after realizing that hospitals haven’t good staff. Many people are entering in this field from varied backgrounds, out of them, some are developing their expertise while helping or being a patient caught in the same outfall.
The U.S. government is training advocates to help under- served populations, while high medical insurances often include an advocate service. Some hospitals also hire permanent advocates on staff to help patients during their hospitalization. But middle class often must seek out their own advocate from the market place.
About Patient Advocate
Patient advocates can help the patient with many other problems presented by the confusing medical system. A patient advocate is one who coordinates medical care, setting up appointments, arranging transportation, negotiate with medical providers and insurance companies, deal with the paperwork to make sure legal payment, coordinate home care with friends and professionals, explore alternative therapies and assure communications among health care providers, insurers, and the patients.
However, a good patient advocate is difficult to find due to less professionals in this new field. Question should be raised that how to find good patient advocate and what should we look at him. While shop for an advocate, one need to be diligent in checking for qualifications and talking to references. When you go for hiring, see qualities such as Negotiating skills, Empathy, Attention to confidentiality, Persuasive communication skills, understanding of hospital claims administration, diagnoses and the language of medicine, understanding of coding and claims processing and demonstrated ability to work effectively with insurance companies.
They charge in many ways depend on advocate. Some advocates charge by the hour, some by the task, others charge on contingency, and some on a percentage of any funds recouped. Depend on circumstances, people save hundreds of dollars after taking the advice of advocate but not true for all patients. As ago said, it totally depends on circumstances.
To come out from medical whirlwind, one must have to find a professional patient advocate who can help him in all matters.
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