Patient-advocacy services
What is patient advocacy?
Patient advocacy is, foremost, a mindset: a recognition that the experience of illness, and the meaning associated with that experience, resides within the individual. Not in the diagnosis, not in the guidelines, not in the treatment.
Patient advocacy is, however, also a method: the manner in which the individual’s singular
interests are promoted and/or protected. A plan, to be sure; but, not a protocol or procedure.
An advocacy plan may call upon any number of patient-centered services, the extent or breadth of those component services being determined by the advocate’s own training and background. My training and background can be seen at About Jeanette Ruby.
How do you encourage self-advocacy skills?
With each client it is my practice to encourage the building of a personal infrastructure of
self-advocacy skills. Toward that goal, I will
Facilitate the patient-client’s exploration and understanding of his/her disease, condition, or impairment;
Promote the client’s own medical-decision-making processes; and,
Help develop person-specific strategies for communication with his/her healthcare
providers.
What additional advocacy services do you provided?
When both indicated by circumstances and requested by the patient-client, I will provide the following additional advocacy services:
Investigate benefits, eligibility, and community resources;
Compile, collate, and analyze medical records from multiple providers and/or facilities;
Conduct medical-literature review to advance the patient-client's knowledge and understanding of treatment options; and,
Coordinate/convene care-related conference on behalf of the patient-client.
Questions regarding patient-advocacy services?
Email: office@jeanetterubymd.com
Or call: 206.406.7499