Board-Certified Patient Advocacy in the Tampa Bay Area

A patient advocate helps to navigate complex health care systems, financial realities and resources for senior care, people who are sick and at end of life, and those who simply wish to prepare for life’s stages.

Medical Care

Patient advocacy ensures clients understand all treatment options for various conditions, whether they’re terminal illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease and cancer or less-stressful needs that simply come with aging. Treatment options are just that: options. Sometimes seeking second and third opinions is necessary to deliver the best possible care. We empower care-partner teams to ask tough questions of the right professionals involved in all aspects of care.

Health care systems can be quite complex. Some individuals may see a network of doctors, clinicians, specialists and other providers to address specific needs. Confusion is common. We work alongside clients to secure care options in a variety of settings. We will even coordinate and attend medical appointments, if appropriate. We also help care-partner teams to organize important health care, financial and legal documents, as well as prescriptions and recommendations by health professionals.

Medicaid & VA Planning

A skilled nursing facility in Florida costs on average $9,171 per month. Elders can save their entire lives and think that they’ll have adequate funds for whatever happens only to suffer a stroke, major heart attack, or get an Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diagnosis. Literally overnight, they no longer have the means to afford health care they need. Incurring this type of expense would cause most people to lose everything – and many do. In order to receive Medicaid and VA benefits, clients must first be financially eligible.

A patient advocate helps clients to understand financial eligibility ins and outs to protect assets for now and the future. Medicaid, unlike Medicare, will cover all long-term care costs. Once we obtain Medicaid eligibility for an individual, if they remain within the Medicaid guidelines, they will be eligible for the rest of their lives.

Life Transitions

Life circumstances change. The ultimate goal is to age comfortably at home, and sometimes that’s possible. But conditions and diagnoses come that, at times, bring elders and their families to decide it may be time to transition to a more optimal living solution. Transitioning to an assisted-living facility or nursing home, or sometimes hospice end-of-life care, is difficult for everyone involved.

A patient advocate assists care-partner teams and empowers them with strong transition strategies. In addition to financial eligibility requirements, elders and their care partners deal with moving logistics including real estate and continuity of care. Some moves are temporary. When a client is discharged to a rehab facility (or hopefully home), the patient advocate plans and coordinates similar resources for the next step.

Education and Referrals

There’s a lot to learn. Whether you or a loved one are researching care and financial options for 20 years down the road or what to do immediately after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, a patient advocate will build and educate care-partner teams about processes, responsibilities and treatment options. When necessary, they will refer helpful resources from a network of partnering organizations.

Is a Board-Certified Patient Advocate Right For You?

We all need a helping hand and someone to guide the way. A Board-certified patient advocate does just as the name implies: advocates for you.