Apparently, a new profession of the “patient advocate” has sprouted:
Some advocates have minimal medical training; others are nurses and doctors. Some charge nothing; others thousands of dollars. Some advocates might help save your life; others may complicate patient-doctor communication.
It’s so early in the life of this new profession that it’s not entirely clear what an advocate is or how to judge whether you’ve found a good one. There is no regulatory body that oversees or licenses patient advocates, just some people, companies, and, now, colleges that see a need.
