Do you ever wish you had a doctor in the family who would gladly go to doctors’ appointments with you or with your aging parent, translate all the medical jargon, let you know if the doctor was reputable and if not, find one, get health information organized, help with insurance claims, and navigate all the options and find the right one? You can hire such an individual and they are called “Health Advocates.”
It is so frustrating to watch people wasted hard earned money on hearing aids that were not suitable for them and not receive the services they needed. While others get so discouraged that they avoided treatment all together, inadvertently increasing their risk of dementia, depression, and falls later in life. I saw a need for a new professional, a ‘hearing health advocate’. There are all sorts of nurses, doctors, and insurance specialists out there who have your back and I just officially became one of them through the Washington State Health Advocacy Association!
You can look their directory and find someone in your area. There is a national organization as well NAHAC.
As someone who works in our healthcare system, I know how wildly inefficient it can be. People are misdirected and left regretting medical decisions due to lack of communication with their providers and the entire system can leave people feeling ignored and/or confused about how to take care of themselves. It can feel like drifting in the Ocean, exposed, and at the mercy of the weather without a captain to steer. Hiring a Health Advocate to help you navigate could be the best investment you ever made in your health.
While it might seem like advocates are only necessary when you are in the midst of a major health crisis, they actually specialize in helping you PREVENT such crises. Get organized, find the best doctors, don’t take medications you don’t need, get claims paid, and have your legal health documents all lined up BEFORE there is a problem.
Contact me if you have questions about finding an advocate in your area or about what I can do for you.