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Part IV: The Dirty Dozen Skills, Abilities, and Attributes of Successful Health and Patient Advocates and Care Managers
And, finally, the fourth and last in our series of skills, abilities and attributes that all successful advocates and care managers must. Find Part I of the Dirty Dozen. Find Part II of the Dirty Dozen. Find Part III of the Dirty Dozen. We’re wrapping up with 3 additional concepts that are important to the success all private advocacy and care management practices. Yes – I know the total will be 16 (and we promised only a dirty dozen!) – see Part I about my inability to count ) Which of these describe you and your abilities? Which of them do not? Where do you go from here? Do your own assessment! 14. Never forget your Allegiance. Allegiance is the foundation of a private, independent advocate’s or care manager’s work; that is – because the patient or caregiver (or someone else whose sole allegiance is to the patient) hires you, your entire focus is on what’s best for him or her. That is the one major distinction between private, independent professionals and those who work for an organization that profits from the healthcare system. Hospital advocates, insurance advocates – their allegiance is to the companies and systems they work for. While their hearts may be in the right place, and patients may THINK they are being helped, these system-paid advocates are too often, even frustrating to them, unable to offer the best help. When your Allegiance is at the core of your work, then you understand why independent advocates will never be reimbursed by insurance, and why we don’t want them to be. You also know the answer to one of the major objections we hear from potential clients: Why should I have to pay for advocacy? The answer might be the difference between substandard, profit-maker-provided assistance, and the independence that can save a life. Successful advocates embrace allegiance as the heart and soul of their work. Read more: Insurance Reimbursements for Patient Advocates? Read more: Why I Hope These Pigs Never Fly – and You Should, Too 15. Learn to delegate. All successful business people learn to delegate some…