Patient Advocate

Education required for this profession

Associate degree, Bachelors in Social work

Relevant Degree/Diploma/Certificate

Associate degree, Bachelors in Social work

Quick Facts

Patients can feel overwhelmed by the combination of their illness and the complex health care bureaucracy of hospitals, insurance companies and managed care programs. The patient advocate helps patients and their families navigate the complexities of the modern health care system to ensure medical and health needs are met. They act on behalf of patients to mediate conflicts with health care providers. The patient advocate serves as a representative of the patient when responding to larger health care institutions and providers. They counsel and inform clients about insurance rights and patient empowerment, and intervene with HMOs, Medicare and other health providers as necessary. In this capacity, a thorough knowledge of the laws, policies and practices of managed health care programs and institutions is essential. The patient advocate must stay updated on laws and policies and treatment options. Some of the areas in which a patient advocate might promote include the following: Rights of the mentally ill, long-term care and geriatric care residents Rights of victims of medical errors or substandard health care Health privacy, women's rights, insurance coverage and reform # Patient education and patients' rights

Salary

Figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that earnings of workers in advocacy, grantmaking and civic organizations averaged about $14.78 an hour in 2004, slightly lower than the average of $15.67 per hour for all workers in private industry. This is due in part to an abundance of entry-level and part-time jobs in the organizations that contain advocacy positions.

Featured Universities Offering Degrees for this Profession

A.T. Still University of Health Sciences	Abilene Christian University	American InterContinental University Online	American Sentinel University	Antonelli College

Online Universities Offering Degrees for this Profession

A A.T. Still University of Health Sciences Abilene Christian University American InterContinental University Online American Sentinel University Antonelli College Argosy University Online Ashford University B Baker College Online Bay Path College Bellevue University Benedictine University Boise State University Boston University Bowling Green State University Bryant & Stratton College Bush School of Government - Texas A&M University C California Coast University California InterContinental University California State University, Monterey Bay Capella University Chamberlain College of Nursing Chancellor University Clarion University of Pennsylvania Cleveland Institute of Electronics Colorado Technical University Online Columbia Southern University Concord Law School Concordia University Irvine Creighton University Cumberland University D Daniel Webster College DePaul University DeSales University DeVry University Dominican University Drexel University Online Duquesne University E Eastern Kentucky University eCornell Ellis University Everest College Phoenix Everest University Online Everglades University F Fielding Graduate University Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences Florida Tech University Online Fort Hays State University Full Sail University G Golden Gate University Gonzaga University Graceland University Grand Canyon University Gratz College H Harrison College Henley-Putnam University Herzing University Hodges University

I IIA College Independence University Indiana State University Indiana Tech International Academy of Design and Technology Iowa Central College Online Ivy Bridge College J Jacksonville University Jones International University K Kaplan University Keiser University Keller Graduate School of Management Kent State University L LA College Online Lehigh University Lesley University LeTourneau University Lewis University Liberty University Online Lincoln College Online Loyola University New Orleans M Malone University Marylhurst University McKinley College Minnesota School of Business Missouri University of Science and Technology Mountain State University N National American University New England College New England Culinary Institute New Jersey Institute of Technology / NJIT New York Medical College - School of Public Health Nova Southeastern University O Ohio University Oklahoma Wesleyan University P Post University Online S Strayer University Syracuse University T The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division U UMassOnline University Alliance University of Phoenix W Walden University