[kythe]

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/236208.php

As hospital care grows increasingly complex and medical errors kill some 100,000 Americans every year, a whole new industry is forming to deal with this disaster — offering hired help to get you through your hospital stay alive.

It is a trend emerging here and across the country, though it's not without controversy — and a hefty price tag. But it may be offering a vital, even lifesaving service in a severely overburdened medical system plagued by a shortage of nurses, doctors and hospital beds.


Personally, I can see some real advantages of having an advocate accompany patients to the hospital. This person can help explain procedures and ensure quality care. It seems similar to what doulas to in L&D, but for other areas of the hospital. However, they charge a rediculous amount of money, and I do not believe good health care should be limited to the wealthy. I can also see people taking advantage of such a service because of their personal sense of entitlement, not necessarily just "needs".

Do professional Patient Advocates literally sit with the patient at all times, or come and go periodically? What kind of training do they have?

[Michigan RN]

We have a couple patient advocates for the unit I work on. They are great. Everytime we have a new admission, they come and speak to the family, explain the visiting policy and other policies in the ICU. They routinely do rounds and check in on the families. Anytime I have a problem with a family such as just walking into the unit and not calling back and the family has done it repeatedly despite me telling them not to, I call the patient advocate. They make things like that a lot easier.

[namaste_71]

I know a nurse in the Southeast who actually does this on the side. It's his home-based business.

[RN1989]

How does that all work with HIPAA and stuff? Are they like sitters and just sit, watch, make suggestions to the pt? Do they get involved in care planning? Sounds interesting and yet I have some problems with it both from the hired advocate side as well as the nurse taking care of the pt.

[Michigan RN]

Originally Posted by RN1989

How does that all work with HIPAA and stuff? Are they like sitters and just sit, watch, make suggestions to the pt? Do they get involved in care planning? Sounds interesting and yet I have some problems with it both from the hired advocate side as well as the nurse taking care of the pt.

Not the advocates on my unit. They do basically what I described in my previous post. They don't give out medical advice. They don't get involved in care planning. They don't sit or watch our patients. They make rounds on the whole unit. Go over unit policies in regards to visitors and families.

[TiredMD]

Originally Posted by kythe

This person can help explain procedures and ensure quality care.

This disturbs me.

What kind of medical training do these people have to explain procedures and comment on the quality of care patients are receiving? Even your average physician or nurse probably isn't competent to comment on these issues unless it is within their chosen specialty.

I would have a lot of problems with an "advocate", and I would likely refuse to speak with them about the patient's care.

[Michigan RN]

Originally Posted by TiredMD

This disturbs me.

What kind of medical training do these people have to explain procedures and comment on the quality of care patients are receiving? Even your average physician or nurse probably isn't competent to comment on these issues unless it is within their chosen specialty.

I would have a lot of problems with an "advocate", and I would likely refuse to speak with them about the patient's care.

Originally Posted by kythe

This person can help explain procedures and ensure quality care."

The job of the patient advocate is NOT to explain procedures. That is for the physcian and/or nurse to do. The advocates I work with have no medical or nursing background.

[kythe]

Originally Posted by Kati2005

Originally Posted by kythe

This person can help explain procedures and ensure quality care."

The job of the patient advocate is NOT to explain procedures. That is for the physcian and/or nurse to do. The advocates I work with have no medical or nursing background.

Okay. Thanks for the correction. What do they do, especially when hired by the patient?

[Angie O'Plasty, RN]

Many people have family members or friends who have the time and savvy to shepherd them safely through their hospital trip — monitor their medications, review their treatment plan, know their detailed medical history, alert overworked nurses when vital signs go bad, battle for timely attention in a jammed ER, coordinate care as nurses and doctors change shifts, and look out for their comfort, hygiene and mobility.

According to the article, this is what they do. I do this for my family members and they've done it for me. No way am I going to any hospital by myself and have no one there to help me when I'm helpless and can't think straight.

Not that we don't take good care of people, we do, but having someone there to help the patient is (almost) always a good thing, IMO.

[herring_RN]

Seems to me that if staffing were what it should be the nurse could be the patients best advocate.
In acute care and, I hope, long term care as well