What Skills Do Patient Advocates Require?
A patient advocate has many duties, all of which ensure the physical, emotional and social well-being of a patient and his family. The patient advocate acts as a liaison between the patient, doctor, hospital, social service agency, care facility and other entities, looking out for the best interest of the patient and making sure that his wishes are honored and his needs fulfilled.
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Job Requirements
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Facilities hiring a patient advocate may or may not seek an individual with a nursing degree, but they generally ask that potential hires have a working knowledge of medical rules, regulations and patient processes. Patient advocates must also be familiar with programs and services available countywide and services offered by state human service departments. Most employers require at least two years of work experience in the social service or hospital service field. Additionally, employers require a minimum of a high-school diploma, and most require some sort of postsecondary education or training prior to hire.
Interpersonal and Other Skills
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A patient advocate should be able to communicate well verbally and in writing. Personal skills and qualities such as positive attitude, patience, warmth and caring benefit a person in this position. It is important to have the ability to work with all types of people. A patient advocate should be able to multitask and be detail-oriented, as well as organized. The ability to prioritize the importance of tasks is necessary as well. Knowledge of health insurance rules and regulations is extremely helpful to a person in a patient advocate position. General office skills are necessary as well, such as the ability to use basic office equipment, computers and the Internet, filing and record-keeping.
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General Requirements
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Most employers require that a patient advocate have a good driving record and possess a current driver's license. Employers will most likely ask that a potential candidate pass a drug screening and a criminal screen via the state police. Several employers also require candidates to pass a health screening. A potential employer may require one or several letters of recommendation or, at the least, two or three professional references.
Duties
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A patient advocate may have several job duties to perform. These could include conflict resolution; appropriate referral to programs and services; working with family members in a wide variety of situations; interacting with physicians, hospital staff and administration; developing and facilitating training programs for patients and families; advocating for patients with insurance entities; data-keeping; and reporting.
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References
- Photo Credit patient image by Andrey Kiselev from Fotolia.com
