How can you stay organized as a Patient Advocate?

I’m a bit perplexed about this article. As humans we all need tools for success but not sure if there is a great difference between staying organized as a patient advocate or any other occupation. The question here is not how to stay organized as a patient advocate, but how to find projects to get involved - that respects and honors our time, expertise and perceptions. That’s the true topic to tackle.

Here are some deeper insights to consider when planning your schedule: 1. Prioritize Tasks: Identify and prioritize patient advocacy tasks based on urgency and importance to ensure critical matters are addressed promptly. This is a key part of care planning that should not be ignored. 2. Allocate Dedicated Time Blocks: Schedule specific time blocks for activities such as researching medical information, communicating with healthcare professionals, and attending advocacy events. 3. Set Realistic Goals: Establish achievable goals for each day or week, considering the complexity and time requirements of advocacy tasks, to maintain a balanced and manageable schedule. BUT GIVE YOURSELF GRACE because life can be busy and hard enough.

Keep abreast on developments, locally and internationally, that impact on patient safety. Thereafter, design practical and objective-driven interventions for your local settings.

In my experience it is always good practice to have a plan for the day before fthe day starts. Any urgent follow-ups that need to be addressed should be at the forefront. Always notate your accounts in detail so that you can refer back as needed.

The environment in which I practice is chaotic. The rules change daily, sometimes hourly. I plan out the day but can never see it through due to unexpected and turbulent events. It is a very stressful environment.

In my experience, we should have paper work of patient in our digital database. It helps to reduce the lose of paper. We can organized soft copy for long lasting time.

1. Sort papers into categories like medical records, insurance, and personal notes. Use binders or digital folders for easy access. 2. Keep records current with the latest medical details and test results. 3. Understand and adhere to privacy laws like HIPAA to protect patient information. 4. Utilize apps and cloud storage for efficient organization and remote access. 5. Maintain open communication with healthcare providers and ensure you have all necessary documents. 6. Periodically review paperwork, removing outdated items to keep the collection relevant. 7. Keep essential information like medical history and emergency contacts readily available.

I envision a world where my clinical notes are mostly generated and formatted for me by an AI scribe so I can dedicate my full focus to looking at the patient in front of me rather than a computer screen... this will happen someday soon!

"Cloud storage" approach facilitates easy maintenance, availability, accessibility, acceptance & affordability. Limited Paper work, support our existence.

For consent, moving to E consent would be helpful, and for other documents having a department share drive would be helpful for every stakeholders to access easily.

Fast Health Interoperable Resource (FHIR) can play a key role in ensuring that the health plan members have access to the longitudinal health records in the interoperable format from Payers, Providers and other key stakeholders, which may prove crucial in saving billions of dollars in the annual administrative waste while saving human lives due to informed healthcare decision making.

Leveraging technology effectively can significantly enhance organization and efficiency in patient advocacy. Here are some ways to use technology for staying organized: EMR systems can store medical histories, treatment plans, and other critical health data, ensuring you have all the necessary information at your fingertips. Implement software to manage appointments and meetings. This can include features for reminders, scheduling, and rescheduling, helping to avoid conflicts and ensuring timely interactions with patients. Lastly, utilize task management software to keep track of daily tasks, deadlines, and priorities.

Technology is a key ally in patient advocacy, transforming healthcare access and management. The internet allows patients to access detailed medical information, supporting informed decisions. Health wearables and apps enable proactive health monitoring, while telemedicine facilitates remote consultations, crucial in situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. Online communities offer support for specific conditions. Electronic Health Records improve care coordination, and AI and analytics lead to personalized treatments. VR/AR present new therapeutic options, and 3D printing creates custom medical devices. Overall, technology enhances patient care, making it more personalized, accessible, and efficient.

Cloud technology proves invaluable for patient advocates by centralizing and organizing medical records, appointment schedules, and relevant information. With secure cloud storage, advocates can access critical data anytime, fostering seamless collaboration with healthcare providers. Real-time updates and shared documents enhance communication, ensuring advocates stay informed and organized. Moreover, cloud-based tools facilitate task management, enabling efficient coordination of appointments, medication schedules, and treatment plans. This streamlined approach enhances the patient advocacy role, promoting organization, accessibility, and collaboration in healthcare support.

Sure but also remember to use the technology only to disclose the minimum necessary information needed for the task at hand to keep personal information safe.

An advocate can be worn out easily if they don’t master the act of delegation and collaboration. Delegation and collaboration is a way to go . Delegating task is a must for effective management of task, activities and time.

Collaboration allows you to grow as an advocate. Giving you new knowledge, new skills and more importantly it gives you access to resouces and services for your patient. Delegation, is equally as important. Aside from providing the advocate support, it also encourages team growth. Allowing other team members to learn and experience the role, contributes in helping shape and attract future advocates.

Delegation and Collaboration are imperative for a successful Patient Advocate. Knowing and utilizing your team and resources to their strengths is a sign of a leader. Delegation does not mean assigning and forgetting about the task, that is where the collaboration enters the picture and it is not a one and done task. It is an ongoing process as many of the individuals we advocate for do not know how to utilize many resources available to them. Empowering our teams and resources to utilize their strengths distributes the workload and offers an individual many pathways of support.

One thing that gets overlooked with delegation is going back to ensure that what you delegated was completed. Having a discussion with the person delegated, after the task is complete, can grow confidence with your staff and give you a chance to provide any feedback that may be needed.

Sometimes we feel that we must handle everything in our own. We don’t. Do not be afraid to ask for help or pass off a task (appropriately) to someone who may be better equipped to address the issue.

It takes time to develop a work routine that allows for regular rest periods and self-care. Change & interruptions are inevitable - having a sense of rhythm & efficient workflows ensure that my energy is not wasted throughout the day.

Lack of boundaries leads to burnout. Being self aware and knowing one's limitations enables an advocate to not only advocate for a patient but themselves also, leading by example. Remember "No" is a full sentence.

Understanding your own self-care needs and boundaries is not about being rigid. It’s about scaffolding your life to support your work in advocating for others. As your needs and energy levels change, so too can your boundaries and limits. Being flexible in a way that supports your own priorities comes with time, getting to know yourself really well and being comfortable with putting your own needs first. Once you fill your own cup, you have capacity to support others to fill their own. Be that model.

Agreed so important that we separate the 2 work-& personal life so they don’t collide, learn to say no when it’s appropriate

When in my masters program, I often scoffed at discussions about self-care. It wasn’t until I was two years into my career as a social worker that I realized I had totally burned myself out. I had nothing left to give because I wasn’t taking care of my own needs. Empathy fatigue is real. I needed to recharge and refocus to make sure I was taking care of myself. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Self-care in the rare disease space feels like a privilege. Between managing your own disease, caregiving for others, and advocating for your community, self-care often takes a backseat. It's important to remember that self-care may look different as a rare disease advocate. There are times when taking a few minutes longer in your car or a few minutes more to let the hot water run over you is a form of self-care. I have found that self-care isn't always structured or ideal as is professed. Leaning on others when you need a moment to regroup allows you to recalibrate. Burn out is real in the advocacy world. Caring for yourself in simple non-conventional ways will help you sustain your efforts over time.

You can only succeed in taking care of others when you are well. Therefore, adequate rest, balanced nutrition, hydration, exercise and relaxation techniques will enrich the mind body and soul to maintain Wellness and succeed in any given role.

Self-care is not a luxury for advocates; it's a required. It might sound silly but, INVESTING in your own self care today will "make it rain" for the good of your patients and populations tomorrow. Personal well-being and sustainable advocacy success are interconnected so see that movie, meditate, journal or hit the gym. Find what (healthy practice) kicks you into awesome mode and DO IT!

Utilize phrases to motivate you and the families you work with. On-Demand is a trigger phrase for me and for my families, they have embraced it too. Self care and self breath are extremely important, and require devotion to yourself. You must breathe and allow yourself down time. If you don’t, this will implode and make a mess. It’s a definite requirement for self care. If you cannot care for yourself, then you cannot care for others. That is when caregivers suffer and sometimes we lose them because they have given wonderful care to everyone else themselves. Statistics reflect that. Let’s remind each other & do better. We can prevent burnout together.

The role of a Patient Advocate can often face situations where there is conflict and competing interests. I have found it critical to know the most important goals of the patient. These goals often help you advocate effectively, and they can help you prioritize the "fights" you take on during the care journey.

Prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. This helps in managing your time effectively and addressing critical issues promptly. It is important to also have touch bases with organizations to share and receive information for true partnership. Through this feedback loop you are able to organize insights to assist in true collaboration.

One thing I've found helpful is Be helpful by being respectful The main thing you need to keep in mind to succeed in this role is that you always need to respect how your loved one wants to be treated. In terms of patient advocacy, acting with respect means making decisions based on their preferences and carrying out their wishes whenever it is possible. When it comes to respect, good communication is crucial.?To improve your communication, try to: Listen more than you talk, Stick to the facts,? Be clear and direct, and Say thank you?regularly.

Continual learning is key. It's important to regularly update your knowledge and skills by attending workshops, webinars, and conferences. Staying informed about the latest healthcare trends, treatments, and legal changes ensures that you can provide the best possible advocacy for your patients. This approach shows commitment to your role and enhances your ability to effectively support those you're advocating for.

Find power in your community. Lean on and learn from others. Build a core group of trusted friends and colleagues -there is nothing stronger than an interlocking support system.