AdvoConnection:  Linking Patients to Excellence in Health Care Assistance

How to Interview
An Advocate

Once you identify an advocate who may be able to help you, you’ll want answers to these questions:

1. Have you handled other cases similar to mine before?
2. What are your credentials?  Do you have background, training or experience in this service?* (Be advised: there is no national certification in patient advocacy)
3. What do you charge for your services?
4. Does anyone else pay you for helping me? (Some advocates are paid a commission for placing patients in a specific nursing home or with other services.  They may be less objective - you'll want to know more.)
5. Do you have an approximate idea of the amount of time it will take you to handle the services I need?  If not, how can I get an estimate?
6. What is your caseload?  Do you have time to handle the work I need to have done?
7. Do you have references?

Optional questions, depending on the service(s) needed:

1. Are you "on call" 24/7 or do you have specific hours?
2. Is your location in proximity to the patient?  (Many services do not require the advocate to be nearby.)
3. Do you provide reports on services you provide in my absence?

If the advocate's answers are satisfactory, ask them to put their information and answers to your questions in writing.

Feel free to contact more than one advocate or organization during your search to compare their capabilities and pricing.

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Make an advocate request if you could not find one in our listings.

Learn more about patient advocacy, and keep up with some of our star advocates in News & Resources.

Empower Yourself at Every Patient's Advocate

Learn about patient advocacy at the Patient Empowerment site at About.com

Find a Non-Profit Advocacy Organization to Help You

Please Note:
AdvoConnection cannot guarantee the quality of the services provided by the people or organizations listed on this site. Please see our Disclaimer for more information.

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