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Over the years, we have seen a steady increase in the number of remote healthcare jobs available. As technology and equipment have advanced, it has become easier than ever to outsource tasks to work-from-home employees.
As you can imagine, 2020 kicked the telehealth industry into high gear. More than ever, patients are seeking patient care solutions from the comfort of their own homes. This has opened up a broad range of remote jobs related to patient care, including patient advocacy positions.
What is the role of a patient advocate?
If you have sought out healthcare lately, you likely know just how complicated things have become. And when you are under the stress of a new prognosis, it can be even harder to navigate the systems, ask the right questions and advocate for the best care possible. Getting a little outside help can make a world of difference.
A patient advocate can help in many ways, often depending on who the employer is. While many hospitals and healthcare systems have employees with a patient advocate designation, this role is often simply customer service within their facilities. Independent patient advocates can often offer advice on additional service needs, sit in with patients during physician visits to ask questions, or arrange care, including hiring and firing caregivers when necessary.
What is the average patient advocate salary?
According to Indeed, a customer service patient advocate with a hospital or other healthcare system earns around $16 per hour to start. Independent, self-employed patient advocates often earn much more, often in the range of $75,000 to $150,00 per year, but far more education is often needed.
How do you train to be a remote patient advocate?
Patient advocacy is still very much in its infancy. The roles are varied, and therefore the training required can also vary greatly.
A customer service type role as a hospital patient advocate or with an insurance company may not require any special training at all. You may simply need a high diploma and prior customer service experience.
More advanced or specialized positions may require certification or a focused degree. One recent job opening, for example, required a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Psychology, Social Work, or Business Administration. Some may also require experience as a case manager or customer service representative.
If you are looking to start your own business, the above degrees are good to start. A private patient advocate is also able to focus on specific service areas or niches, such as care and coordination or medical billing. Additional training may be required to be proficient in specialized areas of care.
Who is currently hiring remote patient advocates?
There are quite a few companies with openings for patient advocate jobs while writing this post:
- MetLife
- CareCentrix
- MedData
- Charles Drew Health Center
- Conifer Health Solutions
- Ascension Health
- Cedar Cares
- UnitedHealth Group
- CVS Health
- And more
The job title can differ from company to company based on what the role entails.
If you are interested in becoming an independent health advocate, you can get your services listed with a patient advocacy group like Patient Advocate Foundation or The AdvoConnection.
What qualities do employers look for in a remote patient advocate employee?
There are a few characteristics you will see repeated while looking through job openings:
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
- Compassion
- Adaptability
- Critical thinking
When crafting your resume and filling out applications, make sure you are highlighting these soft skills and personality traits.
Also, keep in mind that being a member of this care team can be very stressful. Often people don’t seek out healthcare providers, nonetheless a patient advocate, until they are in a medical crisis. You usually have to work quickly to arrange care while working with limited information and/or a client experiencing communication or emotional issues. While this can be a very fulfilling and rewarding remote work job, it can also lead to burnout if you are not focusing on self-care. Prioritizing your well-being will be in everyone’s best interest.