Making The Case For Independent Patient Advocacy

Speaker:
L. Bradley Schwartz, JD, President, Greater National AdvocatesRachel Westlake, BCPA, Managing Director, CHCAO
This session will introduce and describe the profession of Independent Patient Advocacy. Attendees will learn what Independent Patient Advocates do, where they come from, how they are trained and certified, and where to find them. The presentation will distinguish Independent Patient Advocacy from institutional healthcare advocacy and reveal the many ways independent advocates interact with clinicians, payors, and administrators while representing the interests of patients and families who face significant obstacles in our healthcare system.
The advocates who make up the profession come from various walks of life, many with clinical experience. They use the knowledge they gained working within the healthcare system to support patients and loved ones struggling to manage a medical crisis or long-term health issue. They represent the patient’s voice, open lines of communication, and make sure all options are on the table. From medical navigation, case management, and billing disputes to fighting for medication access and applying for clinical trials, Independent Patient Advocacy is a rapidly growing profession with countless opportunities for collaboration.
L. Bradley Schwartz is the president and founder of Greater National Advocates, a nonprofit public awareness foundation and network of Independent Patient Advocacy professionals. He is an attorney who lost his limbs after communication breakdowns in a hospital ER resulted in a failure to recognize the clear warning signs of sepsis. It became Brad’s personal mission to make sure every patient’s voice is heard, because in his case, it wasn’t. His personal medical malpractice survival story led to the formation of Greater National Advocates, a leading online directory of Independent Patient Advocates that promotes the profession as a necessary and welcome component of modern patient care.