maygather records and createamultiyear
summaryof apatient’smedical history to
help physicians get a snapshot of salient
points.Whilepatientadvocatesemployedby
hospitalsor insurersaimtomitigateriskor
cutcosts, independentorprivateadvocates
answeronlytotheirclients: thepatients.
Squeezed for time, intimidatedbydoc-
tors andnot feeling their best, patients or
theirfamilieshirehealthcareadvocatesand
arewillingtopay$60to$200perhourtoget
theresearchandadvice.Thosecostsarenot
coveredby insurance.
“The people that we get are very com-
plicatedmedically,” says Joanna Smith,
who founded theNational Association of
HealthcareAdvocacyConsultants in2009
and isCEOofHealthcareLiaison, Inc. in
Berkeley, Calif. For one client, she coor-
dinates care among 12 specialists and a
primary-caredoctorwhootherwisewould
notcommunicateamongoneanother.
“If itwere simple, theywouldn’t come to
anadvocatebecausetheywouldn’tneedus,”
Smithsays.
Unlikemedicalspecialistswhodealwith
oneorganor system, healthcareadvocates
take abroader viewof their clients’ needs.
NancyMcAfeeknew thather sister—who
hadchronicobstructive-pulmonarydisease,
highbloodpressure, psychiatric complica-
tions and was obese — needed help. But
McAfee lived in theRochester, N.Y., area,
more than2,000miles fromher sister in
Arizona.
UntilMcAfeehired a patient advocate,
nobodywas in control. “Doctors just kept
pilingonthemeds,”shesays.
McAfeecontactedMaryAimé-Juedes, a
patientadvocatewithRNPatientAdvocates
ofScottsdale,Ariz.Aimé-Juedesusedacom-
puterprogram tocheck the50medications
McAfee’s sisterwas taking.Manyof them,
Aimé-Juedes discovered, were causing ad-
verse reactions. After talking to sevendoc-
tors, shewas able tohave themedications
cutbyone-third.
“Itwasworth ittometogettothebottom
of[the]mess,”McAfeesays.Sadly,however,
themedical problemswereultimately too
L
¡¢£¤¡¥¦¥§¨©¦ª
starting radiation for Stage I
breastcancer,apatientwanted
toknowhow radiationon the
tumor in her left breast could affect her
heart over the long term. Afraid tooffend
herdoctorbyseekingasecondopinion, she
turnedtoVienna,Va.–basedPatientNaviga-
tor forhelp.
Inoneday, Dr. KarenZorrilla, the com-
pany’smedicaldirector, foundrelevantjour-
nalarticlesandaspecialistwhowasable to
answer thewoman’squestionsandgiveher
peaceofmind.
Zorrillaisapatientadvocate,anewbreed
of consultant helping consumersnavigate
the labyrinthineU.S.healthcaresystem.
“It’s draining enough to be sick,” says
ElisabethRussell, president and founder
of PatientNavigator, “let alone having to
dealwith thehealth caredelivery system
andallof itsvagariesandcomplications.”
These consultants, alsoknownasmedi-
cal advocates, patient navigators and the
umbrellaterm
healthcareadvocates
,o°era
rangeof services. Theyhelppatients learn
aboutoptionsbyresearchingdiagnosesand
treatments.Manyassist incommunication
amongphysicians andpatients. Theyhelp
clientsdefinehealthcaregoals, setagendas
fordoctorvisitsandshapeexpectations.
Their work styles vary. Many patient
advocates accompany clients to appoint-
ments andhospital visits; othersmay con-
sult strictlybyphone. Somehelppatients
indevelopingquestions toaskdoctors and
inunderstanding the answers. Advocates
ANew
Breed
Professional help isavailable
whennavigatingacomplicated
HEALTHCARESYSTEM
.
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MEDICINE
40
MAY 01, 2013
AA.COM/AMERICANWAY
