When someone is sadly diagnosed with a chronic condition that will have a huge impact on life,
such as cancer and dementia, it can feel like a lonely road ahead for them. Even if they have the
most loving family members and caring friends, it can be difficult to deal with the disease. It’s
not just trying to survive and live happily with the illness that they have to cope with, either.
There are the effects it will have on those around them to consider, it’s trying to find a support
group and it’s trying to understand the health care system. So, it’s becoming a popular trend for
those who are suffering with a serious illness to seek external guidance from patient advocates.
Advocates are essentially people who will fight in their corner; they’ll give them support,
assistance and help with everything related to their condition.
Typically, advocates are people that care deeply about patients in a specific area, and also have
specialist knowledge of the health care industry. So, it’s common to discover advocates that
used to be nurses or doctors. That’s why they can offer so much help; because they know what’s
happening and can open doors that otherwise wouldn’t be available.
They’ll help sufferers make the best possible medical decisions based on effective treatment
methods, costs and support during treatment. Therefore, wouldn’t it make sense to seek an
excellent patient advocate to take with you to physician and diagnostic appointments? They’ll
be in a position to digest the information that the physician is giving and present it to you in a
comprehensible manner, right there as it’s happening.
Here are some benefits of having a patient advocate…
1) Find you the best doctor
Let’s face it, even if you have a serious illness that could cost you your life, treatment can be very
expensive. But, if you’re able to find the best doctor in the field who can provide you with the
best treatment and restore your quality of life, it would all be worth it, right? Rather than being
cared for by an average doctor and needed twice the amount of treatment. With a patient
advocate, they’ll point you towards the best doctors at the appointment to save time.
2) Pick the best treatment plan
It doesn’t matter what disease you’re facing, it will likely be accompanied by a variety of
treatment plans. You’ll hear the doctor using a lot of industry jargon and complex terminology,
and you’ll probably have no idea what’s going on. Having a patient advocate there can help you
understand your diagnosis, the treatment options and assist you in making the right decision.
3) Answer your questions
You’ll likely have a ton of questions, but chances are you won’t know how to word them and
maybe won’t have the confidence to ask them. But, having a patient advocate by your side who
has expert knowledge can help you ask the questions, or may even be able to answer them for
you.