You’re looking for a job in Patient Advocacy. What do you need to know before you apply?

1 What is a patient advocate?

A patient advocate is a professional who works to ensure patients and their families receive quality, compassionate, and respectful care. They may help patients understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and rights, as well as communicate with health care providers and insurance companies. Additionally, they coordinate care and services across different settings and providers while providing emotional support and coping strategies. Furthermore, patient advocates educate patients and their families about health literacy, self-care, and advocacy skills. They also help resolve conflicts and complaints, connecting patients and their families with resources and support groups.

2 What skills do you need?

To be a successful patient advocate, you need to have a combination of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are the technical and specialized knowledge and abilities that are related to your field, such as medical terminology, legal and ethical principles, insurance and billing policies, research and data analysis, and documentation and reporting. Soft skills are the personal and interpersonal qualities and behaviors that help you work well with others, including communication and listening, empathy and compassion, critical thinking and problem-solving, organization and time management, as well as adaptability and flexibility.

3 What qualifications do you need?

Patient advocacy jobs may require different qualifications depending on the employer, setting, and level of responsibility. Generally, a bachelor's degree in a health-related field, such as nursing or social work, is necessary. Additionally, certifications from organizations such as the Board of Patient Advocacy Certification (BPAC) or the Professional Patient Advocate Institute (PPAI) may be expected. At least two years of experience in a health care setting or related field, such as education or counseling, is also usually required. Finally, background checks and drug tests are typically part of the hiring process.

4 Where can you work?

Patient advocates can work in a range of settings, including hospitals and clinics, insurance companies and managed care organizations, nonprofit organizations and community agencies, government agencies and public health departments, and private practice and consulting firms. Each of these settings offers unique opportunities to provide support to patients and their families.