This is a private, fee for service practice.
Your initial phone consultation is free. You can see if we are a good fit for you without committing yourself.
Your initial phone consultation is free. You can see if we are a good fit for you without committing yourself.
Why do I need a Patient Advocate?
The average healthcare "incident" will involve 3+ doctors, 5+ healthcare providers and 3-7 different locations. This can be confusing, overwhelming and is often characterised by stress, poor communication and a lack of co-ordination. An experienced patient advocate, helping you manage your care, knows how to navigate all this and achieve the best results.
The health system works best when patients are well informed, speak up and fend for themselves. When something goes wrong with our health care, we are not as likely to complain as we would if we got bad service in a store or restaurant. We may worry that speaking up will undermine our care, offend our health care providers, or interrupt our treatment.
We may be too angry or too intimidated to confront a health care provider, especially if we are still receiving medical care from him or her. We may think, “What difference does it make? The problem has already happened. It’s too late to do anything now.” Or we may not have the communication skills or medical knowledge to assert ourselves effectively.
Those concerns are valid and underpin the logic in recruiting an independent expert to assist you. An advocate negotiates and mediates to achieve the required outcome. Where appropriate, they will intercede and have your management reviewed.
Speaking up is important because:
The average healthcare "incident" will involve 3+ doctors, 5+ healthcare providers and 3-7 different locations. This can be confusing, overwhelming and is often characterised by stress, poor communication and a lack of co-ordination. An experienced patient advocate, helping you manage your care, knows how to navigate all this and achieve the best results.
The health system works best when patients are well informed, speak up and fend for themselves. When something goes wrong with our health care, we are not as likely to complain as we would if we got bad service in a store or restaurant. We may worry that speaking up will undermine our care, offend our health care providers, or interrupt our treatment.
We may be too angry or too intimidated to confront a health care provider, especially if we are still receiving medical care from him or her. We may think, “What difference does it make? The problem has already happened. It’s too late to do anything now.” Or we may not have the communication skills or medical knowledge to assert ourselves effectively.
Those concerns are valid and underpin the logic in recruiting an independent expert to assist you. An advocate negotiates and mediates to achieve the required outcome. Where appropriate, they will intercede and have your management reviewed.
Speaking up is important because:
- It can prevent problems from occurring
- action can still be taken to improve the situation
- providers and health care professionals respect and respond best to well informed and well supported patients
- action can prevent the problem from escalating (becoming worse)
- assertion and self advocacy becomes a life long skill that strengthens future involvement in health care encounters
What does a Patient Advocate do?
Following discussion between the client and the advocate, problems, healthcare goals and strategies are identified. As the advocacy evolves those goals are reviewed and revised as necessary. It is common for the advocacy relationship to progress through several carefully defined stages that can be either sequenced or concurrent. At every stage the patient can decide to take charge themselves and proceed alone or to continue with the assistance of the patient advocate.
Following discussion between the client and the advocate, problems, healthcare goals and strategies are identified. As the advocacy evolves those goals are reviewed and revised as necessary. It is common for the advocacy relationship to progress through several carefully defined stages that can be either sequenced or concurrent. At every stage the patient can decide to take charge themselves and proceed alone or to continue with the assistance of the patient advocate.
Who is the client?
Generally a patient advocate will work for a client who is also the patient. However, this is not always the case and there are many other people involved with a patient who could be the client: family, partners, friends or guardians.
Sometimes the client will be a family member seeking help to ensure good care for their elderly parent or loved one or seeking a patient advocate to act as a "surrogate" when they live at a distance or while they are away on holidays. Equally it can be a guardian who has neither the time nor the expertise to monitor a patient's care. The advocate will guide you to identify who should (and can) be the client.
Generally a patient advocate will work for a client who is also the patient. However, this is not always the case and there are many other people involved with a patient who could be the client: family, partners, friends or guardians.
Sometimes the client will be a family member seeking help to ensure good care for their elderly parent or loved one or seeking a patient advocate to act as a "surrogate" when they live at a distance or while they are away on holidays. Equally it can be a guardian who has neither the time nor the expertise to monitor a patient's care. The advocate will guide you to identify who should (and can) be the client.
What am I committing to?
Your initial phone enquiry is cost and obligation free. Engagement of an independent advocate is on a private basis as for most private medical and para-medical practitioners. The fee is not normally refundable through any health insurance scheme. It is both affordable and it is proven to be cost effective.
Please ask for a quote when you contact us.
Your initial phone enquiry is cost and obligation free. Engagement of an independent advocate is on a private basis as for most private medical and para-medical practitioners. The fee is not normally refundable through any health insurance scheme. It is both affordable and it is proven to be cost effective.
Please ask for a quote when you contact us.
Fees
Both Dorothy & Alicia are private patient advocates and work on a fee for service basis. We are paid directly by our clients. Our services are not yet rebated by health funds but may be claimable through the NDIS. We charge similar rates to your plumber or electrician.
Both Dorothy & Alicia are private patient advocates and work on a fee for service basis. We are paid directly by our clients. Our services are not yet rebated by health funds but may be claimable through the NDIS. We charge similar rates to your plumber or electrician.
Pro Bono Work
We have a tradition of providing voluntary service to the community by way of conducting presentations to community and social groups (minimum 10) exploring the skills and strategies of patient assertiveness and self advocacy. We are proud of this commitment and welcome enquiries. There is no charge for these sessions.
There are many tips on this site about the steps and strategies of advocacy to help you DIY. On the "what we do page" is an interview recorded about DIY patient advocacy. In addition, go to The Assertive Patient website and to Trish Torrey's Guidelines about common mistakes patients make in managing their healthcare. Finally, consider the value of acquiring a level of health literacy as a preliminary to DIY advocating.
We have a tradition of providing voluntary service to the community by way of conducting presentations to community and social groups (minimum 10) exploring the skills and strategies of patient assertiveness and self advocacy. We are proud of this commitment and welcome enquiries. There is no charge for these sessions.
There are many tips on this site about the steps and strategies of advocacy to help you DIY. On the "what we do page" is an interview recorded about DIY patient advocacy. In addition, go to The Assertive Patient website and to Trish Torrey's Guidelines about common mistakes patients make in managing their healthcare. Finally, consider the value of acquiring a level of health literacy as a preliminary to DIY advocating.
Guardianship support for health and aged care management
Decisions about an adult’s health care are needed when someone is seriously ill, unconscious or unable to communicate. Equally, decisions may be necessary in non acute settings where identifying, planning and monitoring the health care of a person requires the background of a healthcare professional.
Guardianship responsibilities are onerous and time consuming. If you feel that you would be able to achieve better health outcomes by accessing expert advice about care and case management, we can assist. We can help you translate and understand what you are being told, help you be assertive and effective with medical and nursing staff. We do not assume your duties, rather we support you in executing your duties. We work with lawyers and guardians for clients who require support to remain living at home or who have issues with capacity.
In addition we can advise clients and families about residential care options. Finding a nursing home and then being confident that the care delivered in that facility is up to standard requires expertise and confidence. We help you choose the right care facility and then we work with you to monitor and supervise the care your loved one receives.
Decisions about an adult’s health care are needed when someone is seriously ill, unconscious or unable to communicate. Equally, decisions may be necessary in non acute settings where identifying, planning and monitoring the health care of a person requires the background of a healthcare professional.
Guardianship responsibilities are onerous and time consuming. If you feel that you would be able to achieve better health outcomes by accessing expert advice about care and case management, we can assist. We can help you translate and understand what you are being told, help you be assertive and effective with medical and nursing staff. We do not assume your duties, rather we support you in executing your duties. We work with lawyers and guardians for clients who require support to remain living at home or who have issues with capacity.
In addition we can advise clients and families about residential care options. Finding a nursing home and then being confident that the care delivered in that facility is up to standard requires expertise and confidence. We help you choose the right care facility and then we work with you to monitor and supervise the care your loved one receives.
We guide individuals through the process of documenting
an Advanced Care Plan in collaboration with their doctor.
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Advance care planning is a process that enables individuals to make plans about their future health care. Advance care plans provide direction to healthcare professionals when a person is not in a position to either make and/or communicate their own healthcare choices. Advanced care planning is applicable to adults at all stages of life.
Participation in advanced care planning has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety for patients and their families, and lead to improvements care.
The main components of advanced care planning include the nomination of a substitute decision maker, and the completion of an advanced care directive.
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Advance care planning is a process that enables individuals to make plans about their future health care. Advance care plans provide direction to healthcare professionals when a person is not in a position to either make and/or communicate their own healthcare choices. Advanced care planning is applicable to adults at all stages of life.
Participation in advanced care planning has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety for patients and their families, and lead to improvements care.
The main components of advanced care planning include the nomination of a substitute decision maker, and the completion of an advanced care directive.
Patient advocate< patient advocate, patient advocate, Patient advocate< patient advocate, patient advocate, Patient advocate< patient advocate, patient advocate, Patient advocate< patient advocate, patient advocate,