Helping Others Get The Good Medical Care They Deserve
By Trisha Torrey, About.com Guide
When someone is sick or hurt, it's difficult for them to manage their journey through the healthcare system themselves. Making appointments, remembering everything the doctor has told them, reviewing pros and cons of treatment options, making decisions, reconciling medical bills -- there's a lot to handle - and they may ask you for help.
Whether you are a caregiver helping a loved one, or wish to become a professional health advocate, here is some information to help you help others.
- Caregiving - Helping a Loved One
- Hiring A Health or Patient Advocate To Help You or Your Loved One
- Choosing a New Career as a Health or Patient Advocate
Caregiving - Helping a Loved One
You may be called upon to help an older parent, a great aunt, your spouse or your child. Sometimes being a caregiver means setting aside your own time to help someone else. The smarter you are about the healthcare system, the more effective you'll feel, and the less likely you are to feel imposed upon.
- How to Visit Someone in the Hospital
- How to Set Up Patient Websites
- Patient's Rights and Responsibilities
- Using Online Support Groups, Forums and Message Boards
- Privacy and the Law - What You Need to Know About HIPAA
- Legal Documents for Caregivers
- Respecting Your Loved One's Wishes
- Start an End of Life Wishes Conversation
- Understanding Informed Consent
- Ask for Help in the Patient Empowerment Forum
Hiring A Health or Patient Advocate To Help You or Your Loved One
When a diagnose is complex, or requires difficult treatment, or if caring for a loved one becomes impossible because you live too far away, or because you are working full time and can't be there as often as needed, you'll want to explore the possibility of bringing in a professional patient or health advocate to help you.
- What Services Do Patient Advocates Offer?
- How to Choose a Patient Advocate
- Issues in Patient Safety
- Are Patient Advocates Certified or Credentialed?
Choosing a New Career as a Health or Patient Advocate
The rising numbers of babyboomers, and the advent of healthcare reform and insurance rationing is giving rise to a new career - patient or health advocate. Whether you have medical training or experience, or not - or if you enjoy crunching numbers while reviewing other people's hospital bills, or going to bat for them to get insurance to help them out, a career in patient or health advocacy might be right up your alley.
