About US
Learn About Our Company And How We Can Help Navigate Your Healthcare Journey
What is A Healthcare Advocate?
A private independent healthcare advocate is someone who works for YOU. There are many terms for the same person – patient navigator, healthcare navigator, patient advisor, healthcare advisor, patient ombudsman, etc. Whatever the term, a private independent healthcare advocate reports to you, owes their allegiance to you, and is paid by you–-the client. A private healthcare advocate is not paid by a hospital, organization, or insurance company. Many people are now working in these roles, but they are paid by such hospital, organization, or insurance company. That is not to say such advocates are not beneficial, but they may or may not have your best interests in mind.
Hospitals sometimes have advocates who may be located in their risk management department. The mission of such person is usually to reduce the risk of the hospital. An advocate for an insurance company might be able to help you locate a physician on your insurance plan, but such a physician may be favored by the insurance company. That may or may not be beneficial to you.
An advocate’s allegiance will be to whoever pays the advocate. You want that allegiance to be to you!
Private independent healthcare advocacy is a new and growing occupation. One of the main reasons is the growing need – for many reasons, not the least of which is the baby boomer population aging. Another reason is that people are becoming more knowledgeable about their symptoms, illnesses, etc., want to know more and be involved in the decision making. They don’t want to be “kept in the dark”. As people are living longer, a greater percentage of the population lives with chronic illnesses and disease such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, to name a few.
Private healthcare advocates are not required to be medical professionals, although many are or have worked in the medical field. Some obtain education in healthcare advocacy or certificates in the field, but it’s not required at this time. Some private healthcare advocates are or were attorneys. Many healthcare advocates have had a personal situation that affected them or a family member where they had to navigate the healthcare system. As a result of this personal challenge, such individuals decided they wanted to help others through the maze and what may be a difficult situation.
At Your Side Healthcare Advocacy’s goal is to make these difficult times, situations, and decisions easier for you!
About Lori
Read The Story Of How Her Brother Helped Influence Her Creation Of An Organization To Help Others
Here Is MY Story
I’m Lori Bailey, the owner of At Your Side Healthcare Advocacy. I formed this business because I enjoy helping people with difficult and important issues. I am not a nurse, doctor or any other medical provider. My background is that of an attorney who has represented injured and disabled people for many years. As an attorney, I have advocated for many years for my clients who suffered injuries, some very serious and life-altering. In that regard, securing the best medical care possible was critical for my clients – not only for their case, but also for their health and recovery.
I’ve also had the opportunity to assist in the care of my brother, Tom, who was hospitalized for spinal surgery. He contracted sepsis while undergoing care and was given a 50% chance of survival. He did survive but never walked again. He was told he only had three months to live but he proved the doctors wrong and lived for a year. That year spent with him was one of the most rewarding times of my life. I visited him nearly every day after bringing him to Florida. We listened to music, attended concerts, went to the beach, and out to dinner. I helped him live that last year to his fullest. My brother’s optimism, positive attitude, ability to laugh, love, and engage in life with everyone he met during this time, was a true inspiration to me.
Lori Bailey
Lori and her brother Tom
Before Tom was transported to Florida, there was a period of time when no family member could check on him. I didn’t believe that was a good situation for him, so I hired a private independent healthcare advocate. The advocate visited my brother in the hospital the very next day after our phone conversation. He immediately set up meetings with the medical team handling my brother’s treatment. He made sure Tom received appropriate medical care, personal care attention, was taken outside for some fresh air, and wasn’t over-dosed on medications. The advocate visited my brother two to three times per week and was someone my brother knew he could count on to look out for him when a family member was not there. This private independent healthcare advocate made all the difference in the world to my brother and to me in my brother’s time of need.
These are the reasons I’ve decided to help people by offering private healthcare advocacy through At Your Side Healthcare Advocacy.