Finding your Patient Advocate in the Hospital

Hospitals typically keep patient advocates on staff to help them navigate through the healthcare system. They are available to all patients during a hospital stay and then remain in contact for a time after discharge.

When you look at a patient advocate's job description, you may see that the organization uses a different title. While patient advocate is the most common, the job might be advertised as a patient navigator, as the professional's role is to help the patient navigate the health care system. Other potential titles might include:

Health advocate

Care manager

Case manager

Ombudsman

Medical advocate

Patient liaison

Patient representative

Consumer advocate