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Health Advocates


Overview

Health Advocates

Introduction

Health advocates, also known as patient representatives and patient advocates, work with and on behalf of patients to resolve issues ranging from getting insurance coverage to dealing with complaints about the medical staff to explaining a doctor's treatment plan. In addition to patients, health advocates often interact with physicians, hospitals, health maintenance organizations, insurance companies, and government agencies, to name a few. Advocates are employed by hospitals, nonprofit groups, and other health fac...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$48,018

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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Bachelor's Degree


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Experience

Volunteer or part-time experience in a hospital or health care fa
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Skills

Interpersonal
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Personality Traits

Helpful
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Earnings

Although independent patient advocates may have more opportunities to put the patient first, they sometimes gain that freedom at the expense of job stability and a predictable salary. Patient representatives employed by hospitals, doctors' groups, and corporations can expect to earn a regular salary of $40,000 to $60,000 a year, depending on work experience. Salary.com reports that patient repr...

Work Environment

The type of employment that an advocate pursues largely determines his or her work environment. High-profile advocates striving to improve patient conditions on a national level may travel frequently, deliver speeches and seminars, and even lunch with members of Congress. Patient representatives at hospitals or managed care organizations experience a different work environment: a more standard ...

Outlook

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment in the health care support sector will increase as the population ages and new medical technologies evolve. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor expects that the number of jobs will increase by 14 percent through 2028. While this figure includes all areas of health care support services, growth in health services is likely to contribute to ...