By Matt Toresco, Founder of AdvocateBridge
A patient advocate helps you navigate the healthcare system, access care, and understand your rights. They are not replacements for doctors or lawyers. They are guides, translators, and allies.
If you feel invisible inside the healthcare system, an advocate can help ensure you are heard.
I know this because I lived it. In 2005, I broke my neck. That injury started an 18-year fight through a healthcare system that gave me surgery, setbacks, and far too many years on opiates instead of real answers. I searched for help, and for most of that time, I came up empty. That is why I built AdvocateBridge — so no patient has to fight alone.
What Does a Patient Advocate Do?
Patient advocates work across a wide range of situations. Their job is to make the healthcare experience less confusing, less isolating, and more manageable. Here is what advocates typically help with:
Prepare for appointments — Help you organize questions, symptoms, and concerns before you walk in
Bridge patient-provider communication — Translate what your care team is saying and make sure your voice is heard
Navigate insurance appeals — Guide you through denials, prior authorizations, and coverage disputes
Connect you to resources and care teams — Find specialists, second opinions, clinical trials, and support services
Translate medical jargon — Turn complex medical language into plain, understandable English
Support decision-making — Help you weigh options without making the decision for you
Coordinate care across providers — Keep your doctors, specialists, and care team aligned
Unlock financial assistance — Find grants, charity care, copay assistance, and other programs
Provide emotional support — Be present during the hardest moments of your healthcare journey
Protect patient rights — Ensure you are treated fairly and your preferences are respected
Guide advance care planning — Help you document your wishes for future care
Advocate for systemic change — Push for better policies and practices that affect all patients
Support caregivers — Help the people who take care of you manage their own burden
Ensure follow-up and accountability — Make sure nothing falls through the cracks after a visit or procedure
What Patient Advocates Do Not Do
It is just as important to understand the boundaries. Advocates are not clinical providers, and responsible advocacy stays within clear ethical lines:
They do not provide medical diagnoses
They do not prescribe medications
They do not offer legal representation
They do not make treatment decisions for you
They do not override physician judgment
They do not guarantee insurance approval
They do not deliver direct clinical care
They do not replace your primary providers
They do not act as financial guarantors
They do not promise health outcomes
They do not provide payment for medical treatment
Good patient advocacy is ethical, transparent, and empowering. If someone offering advocacy services crosses these lines, that is a red flag.
How to Find a Patient Advocate
There are three main paths to finding an advocate, and the right one depends on your situation:
1. Disease State Advocacy Organizations
These are nonprofit organizations focused on a specific condition — cancer, diabetes, rare diseases, mental health, cardiovascular disease, and hundreds more. They typically offer:
Education about your condition
Support groups (in-person and online)
Help navigating treatment options
Financial assistance programs
Connections to specialists and clinical trials
This is often the best starting point if you have a specific diagnosis and want to connect with others who understand what you are going through.
2. Independent Patient Advocates
These are professionals — often Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA) — who work one-on-one with you. They can help with complex situations like:
Navigating a difficult diagnosis
Coordinating care across multiple providers
Fighting insurance denials
Managing medical billing disputes
Providing support during hospital stays
Independent advocates may charge a fee for their services, but many offer sliding scales or initial consultations at no cost. The value of having someone in your corner who understands the system can be immeasurable.
3. Your Local Health System
Many hospitals and health systems have patient advocates or patient relations departments built in. These are often free and can help with:
Resolving complaints about care
Understanding your rights as a patient
Navigating discharge planning
Accessing social work and community resources
Ask your hospital or clinic if they have a patient advocate on staff. It is a question you should never feel hesitant to ask.
When Should You Look for an Advocate?
There is no wrong time. But here are moments when an advocate can make the biggest difference:
You just received a new or serious diagnosis and feel overwhelmed
You are having trouble getting the care you need
Your insurance denied a treatment your doctor recommended
You are managing multiple conditions and providers
You are a caregiver who needs help navigating the system for a loved one
You feel like your voice is not being heard by your care team
You are facing a major medical decision and want guidance (not a second opinion — guidance on how to think about it)
You Do Not Have to Do This Alone
The healthcare system was not built with the patient in mind. It is confusing, overwhelming, and often isolating. But you do not have to navigate it by yourself.
Whether you start with an advocacy organization, an independent advocate, or your hospital's patient relations department — the important thing is to start.
Matt Toresco is the founder of AdvocateBridge and a patient advocate who spent 18 years navigating the healthcare system after a serious spinal injury. He built AdvocateBridge so patients and caregivers can find trusted support faster.
This article is based on "What Is a Patient Advocate & How to Find One" from The Empowered Patient Record: A Toresco Method Logbook.