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A1: Three Skills
1. Communication skills: A patient advocate must have excellent communication skills,
both verbal and written, to effectively communicate with patients, healthcare
providers, and insurance companies to ensure that the patient's needs and concerns
are being heard and addressed. (Torrey, 2020)
2. Empathy: A patient advocate must have a strong sense of empathy to understand
the patients' perspectives, feelings, and experiences, which allows them to provide
personalized support and guidance to patients and their families. (Torrey, 2020)
3. Problem-solving skills: A patient advocate must have strong problem-solving skills to
help patients navigate complex medical systems and processes, such as insurance
claims, medical bills, and treatment options. They must also be able to find creative
solutions to the challenges that patients face in accessing the care they need. (Torrey,
2020)
A2: Description of Clients
A2A: Cultural Awareness with Clients
Patient advocates encounter a diverse range of clients, including individuals, families, and
communities. They may work with patients who are dealing with a wide range of health issues,
including chronic illnesses, disabilities, mental health conditions, and terminal illnesses.
Cultural awareness is crucial in interacting with the populations of these clients as it helps to
build trust and rapport, and to ensure that their needs and values are respected and addressed
in an appropriate and culturally sensitive manner. This may involve being aware of and sensitive
to differences in language, beliefs, values, customs, and traditions, as well as considering how
these factors may impact a patient's healthcare experience. (Torrey, 2020) For example, a
patient advocate may encounter clients from different cultural backgrounds who have different
beliefs about medical treatments, health practices, and end-of-life care. A culturally aware
advocate would be able to listen to these patients and understand their perspectives, and to
provide them with guidance and support that takes these cultural factors into account. This can
help to ensure that patients receive the care and treatment that is best for them and that their
rights and needs are respected and addressed. (The Role of the Patient Advocate, 2020)
A2B: Bias
One type of bias a patient advocate could encounter that impedes the quality of care of
clients is implicit or unconscious bias. This type of bias refers to attitudes and beliefs that a
person holds unconsciously, but that can influence their behavior and decision-making. For
example, a healthcare provider may hold implicit biases about certain racial or ethnic groups,
which may lead them to provide unequal or substandard care to patients from these groups.
This could result in patients receiving different diagnoses, treatments, or referrals based on
their race or ethnicity, rather than on their medical needs. (Kadlec, 2015)
To overcome this bias, a patient advocate can use a number of strategies, including:
1. Educating themselves: A patient advocate can educate themselves about the nature
and effects of implicit bias and how it may impact healthcare decisions and outcomes.
(Kadlec, 2015)
