How do you manage complex advocacy cases?
As a patient advocate, you may encounter cases that are complex, challenging, and emotionally demanding. These cases may involve multiple stakeholders, conflicting interests, ethical dilemmas, legal issues, or systemic barriers. How do you manage these cases effectively and compassionately? Here are some tips to help you navigate complex advocacy cases.
Before you start working on a complex case, make sure you clarify your role and scope of practice as a patient advocate. What are your responsibilities, limitations, and boundaries? What are the expectations and goals of the patient and their family? How will you communicate and collaborate with other professionals involved in the case, such as doctors, nurses, social workers, lawyers, or insurers? Establishing your role and scope of practice can help you avoid role confusion, role conflict, or role overload.
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Kirstie F.
FNP-Triad Internal Medicine (Currently on LOA)
My role is to communicate effectively and thoroughly to determine a look at the big picture. Making sure there is adequate time allotted for such a task. My role as the provider is to have readily available resources to suit the needs of all patient types. I would communicate with the multidisciplinary care team with matter-of-fact points, backed by research and develop a plan on how we can assist and delegate tasks to not only prevent burnout, but to ensure adequate patient care.
One of the key tasks of a patient advocate is to gather relevant information about the case. This may include medical records, test results, treatment options, insurance policies, legal documents, or other sources of information. You need to review, analyze, and synthesize this information to understand the situation, identify the problems, and evaluate the possible solutions. You also need to verify the accuracy and validity of the information and seek clarification or confirmation when needed.
Another important task of a patient advocate is to assess the needs and preferences of the patient and their family. This may involve asking questions, listening actively, observing behaviors, or using assessment tools. You need to understand the patient's values, beliefs, goals, fears, concerns, and expectations. You also need to respect the patient's autonomy, dignity, and rights. You should not impose your own opinions, judgments, or biases on the patient or their family.
Based on the information you gathered and the needs and preferences you assessed, you need to develop an action plan for the case. The action plan should outline the steps you will take to address the problems, achieve the goals, and resolve the conflicts. The action plan should also specify the roles and responsibilities of each party involved, the timeline and milestones of the process, and the criteria and methods of evaluation. You need to communicate and negotiate the action plan with the patient, their family, and other professionals and seek their consent and agreement.
Once you have an action plan, you need to implement and monitor it. This may involve providing information, education, or counseling to the patient and their family, facilitating communication and coordination among different professionals, advocating for the patient's rights and interests, or mediating disputes or complaints. You need to keep track of the progress and outcomes of the action plan and document your actions and decisions. You also need to adjust the action plan as needed based on feedback, changes, or new developments.
Managing complex advocacy cases can be stressful, exhausting, and overwhelming. You need to seek support and supervision from your peers, mentors, supervisors, or other sources of help. You need to share your experiences, challenges, successes, and failures with others who can understand, empathize, advise, or mentor you. You also need to take care of your own physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. You need to practice self-care, set boundaries, manage your time, and cope with your emotions.
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