What is a professional patient advocate, and why might you need one?

A social work educator who trains patient advocates and once worked as one describes the role: helping patients and families navigate hospital discharge, insurance coverage, medication accuracy, and coordination between specialists and care facilities.

The piece traces the role's origins to the 1966 founding of Mount Sinai's Department of Patient Representation amid the broader patient rights movement, and notes that certification, established in 2018 by the Patient Advocate Certification Board, remains optional rather than required.

It cites a 2023 survey from the Coalition of Healthcare Advocacy finding 92% of patients and providers reported advocates positively affected care, and notes advocates can also help untangle medical billing errors and insurance appeals.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.