What Are Advocates and Support Services?

What advocates do

Advocates are trained professionals who help you understand your options, make informed decisions, and communicate clearly with your care team. They support you through appointments, referrals, tests, and treatments so you feel prepared and confident. Advocates can also connect you with resources for daily needs such as transportation, medications, meals, and caregiver support.

Advocates focus on real life barriers that can slow care, such as confusing paperwork, missed messages between clinics, or challenges with time, cost, and travel. With the right support, you can move through the system more smoothly and stay on track with your care plan.

Types of advocates and support professionals

Patient advocates

Patient advocates make sure your questions are heard and your preferences are respected. They help with appointment planning, insurance questions, bills you do not understand, and decisions about treatments. Some advocates work in hospitals and clinics. Others are independent and can support you across many providers.

Patient navigators

Navigators guide you through each step of screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow up. They identify barriers and help you overcome them, such as arranging transportation, finding financial assistance, or coordinating appointments. Many cancer centers and large health systems offer navigator programs because this kind of help improves the experience of care and often helps people start and continue needed treatment.

Social workers

Clinical social workers provide counseling, crisis support, and practical planning. They help with coping, advance care planning, family communication, and links to community benefits such as housing, nutrition programs, or caregiver respite.

Ombudsman or patient relations

Hospital ombudsman teams listen to concerns, help resolve problems, and serve as a neutral bridge between you and the healthcare organization. They address issues like communication breakdowns, delays, or service quality.

Peer support specialists

Peer supporters are trained helpers who have lived through similar health challenges. They offer encouragement, share practical strategies, and connect you with community support groups. Peer support can be a powerful complement to clinical care.

Care coordinators and case managers

Care coordinators organize details among multiple doctors and services. They make sure information is shared, follow ups are scheduled, and instructions are clear. Case managers often focus on safe transitions, such as leaving the hospital and getting connected to home care or needed equipment.

How Understood Care can help

Understood Care brings these supports together in one place. We match you with a dedicated advocate and nurse, coordinate with your clinicians, social workers, navigators, and case managers, and keep everyone on the same page. We help you prepare for visits, organize records, review medicines, check insurance and benefits, arrange transportation, connect you with peer support, and follow through on referrals. Services are delivered by phone or video so you can get help from home.

Ready to begin

Sign up at https://app.understoodcare.com or call (646) 904-4027‍

How advocates help you day to day

Prepare and plan

• Create a simple list of questions for each visit
• Organize records, test dates, and medications
• Clarify the purpose of each appointment and what to expect

Communicate with your care team

• Share your goals and preferences
• Ask about risks, benefits, and alternatives in clear language
• Make sure instructions are written down and easy to follow

Coordinate logistics

• Schedule or reschedule visits and tests
• Arrange transportation and reminders
• Track referrals and authorizations so steps do not fall through the cracks

Support safety

• Review medications to spot possible interactions
• Encourage you to bring a family member or friend to important visits
• Promote fall prevention, infection prevention, and emergency planning

Connect to community resources

• Link you to nutrition support, financial assistance, or housing resources
• Find caregiver support groups and respite options
• Identify local programs for exercise, education, and social connection

When to ask for help

Consider an advocate if you are juggling many appointments, managing a new diagnosis, feeling unsure about decisions, or caring for a loved one while balancing other responsibilities. People who live far from specialty centers or have limited time, transportation, or internet access may benefit especially from navigation and coordination.

How advocates work with your clinicians

Advocates do not replace your doctors or nurses. They complement clinical care by helping you understand choices, remember questions, and follow through on the plan. With your permission, they can share updates with your clinicians so everyone stays aligned. Good advocacy is team based, respectful, and focused on your goals.

Privacy, consent, and your voice

You decide who is part of your care team and what information can be shared. You can give written permission for an advocate, family member, or friend to receive updates or help coordinate care. You can also change or withdraw that permission at any time. If you have a health care proxy or other advance directive, your advocate can help you keep those documents current and available.

How to choose the right advocate or service

Personalized help for your care journey

• Step 1. Quick intake
  Book your first visit online or by phone. Share a few details about your goals, conditions, medicines, and insurance so we understand your needs.
• Step 2. Talk to a provider
  Meet by phone or video. With your permission we gather records and pair you with the right Understood Care advocate and nurse. We confirm your priorities and answer questions.
• Step 3. Ongoing care
  Your team creates a clear plan, sets communication preferences, and coordinates with your clinicians, pharmacy, and health plan. You receive regular check ins, visit preparation, medication reviews, benefits help, and follow through on referrals so nothing falls through the cracks.
• Choosing the right advocate or service
  
  • Identify your top needs such as appointment help, billing questions, caregiver support, or recovery after a hospital stay
    
  • Ask about training, experience, and scope of services
  • Clarify how they will communicate with your clinicians
  • Review availability and coverage since some services come through your health system while others are community based or private
  • Choose someone who listens well, explains clearly, and respects your preferences

• Ready to begin
  Sign up at https://app.understoodcare.com or call (646) 904-4027

Getting started

If you are ready for advocacy and support, start with a quick intake so we understand your top concerns. We will match you with an Understood Care advocate who knows your condition and community. Your advocate will help you prepare for visits, organize questions, coordinate with your clinicians, and connect you with community resources and peer groups that fit your needs and values.

FAQ

• What is a healthcare advocate?
  A healthcare advocate is a trained professional who helps you understand your options, prepare for visits, ask clear questions, and follow through on your care plan. They do not replace your doctors or nurses. Instead, they help you participate more fully so your care matches your goals and preferences.
• What kinds of things can an advocate help me with day to day?
  An advocate can help you make a list of questions before visits, organize your records and medications, explain test results, track referrals and authorizations, schedule or reschedule appointments, arrange transportation, set reminders, and connect you with resources for food, medications, equipment, and caregiver support.
• What types of advocates and support professionals are there?
  Support can come from patient advocates, patient navigators, social workers, hospital ombudsman or patient relations staff, peer support specialists, and care coordinators or case managers. Each has a slightly different focus, but all work to reduce barriers and make care easier to navigate.
• How is a patient advocate different from a patient navigator or social worker?
  A patient advocate focuses on making sure your questions are heard, your preferences are respected, and your logistics make sense. A patient navigator guides you step by step through screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow up, often in one program such as cancer care. A social worker provides counseling, crisis support, and help with benefits and community resources such as housing, nutrition, or caregiver respite.
• What do care coordinators and case managers do?
  Care coordinators and case managers organize details across multiple doctors and services. They help share information, reconcile medication lists, arrange home care or equipment, and make sure you have follow up appointments after hospital or rehab stays. Their goal is safer transitions and fewer gaps in care.
• How does Understood Care support me as an advocate service?
  Understood Care matches you with a dedicated advocate and nurse, coordinates with your clinicians and health plan, and keeps everyone on the same page. Your team helps you prepare for visits, review medicines, check benefits, arrange transportation, connect you with peer and community supports, and follow through on referrals by phone or video from home.
• When should I consider asking for an advocate?
  You may benefit from an advocate if you are juggling many appointments, have a new or serious diagnosis, take several medicines, feel overwhelmed by insurance and bills, live far from specialty care, or are caring for a loved one while managing your own responsibilities. Anyone who feels unsure about next steps can ask for help.
• How do advocates work with my doctors and nurses?
  Advocates complement your clinicians by helping you prepare questions, clarify instructions, and follow the plan after the visit. With your permission, they can share updates and summaries with your care team so everyone stays aligned. Good advocacy is team based, respectful, and centered on what matters most to you.
• What about my privacy and consent when using an advocate?
  You decide who is involved in your care and what information can be shared. You can give written permission that allows an advocate, family member, or friend to receive updates or speak with your clinicians and health plan. You can change or withdraw that permission at any time. If you have a health care proxy or advance directive, an advocate can help you keep it current and available.
• How do I choose the right advocate or support service?
  Start by identifying your top needs, such as appointment help, billing questions, caregiver support, or recovery after a hospital stay. Ask about training, experience, and what services they provide. Clarify how they will communicate with your clinicians, how often they will check in, and whether services are offered through your health system, community programs, or privately. Choose someone who listens well, explains clearly, and respects your preferences.
• What does getting started with Understood Care look like?
  You begin with a brief intake online or by phone to share your goals, conditions, medicines, and insurance. Then you meet by phone or video so the team can gather records with your permission and match you with the right advocate and nurse. Together you create a clear plan, set communication preferences, and receive ongoing support that includes visit preparation, medication reviews, benefits help, and follow through on referrals.
• How can I start working with an Understood Care advocate?
  You can sign up at https://app.understoodcare.com or call (646) 904 4027. Your advocate will help you prepare for visits, organize questions and medications, coordinate with your clinicians, and connect you with community and support services that fit your needs and values.

References

• National Cancer Institute dictionary definition of patient navigator. Full URL https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/patient-navigator Cancer.gov
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention overview of patient navigation and common barriers. Full URL https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/php/interventions/patient-navigation.html CDC
• Mayo Clinic Cancer Center patient navigators overview. Full URL https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/mayo-clinic-cancer-center/cancer-support/patient-navigators Mayo Clinic
• Cleveland Clinic Ombudsman Office role in resolving patient concerns. Full URL https://my.clevelandclinic.org/departments/patient-experience/depts/office-patient-experience/ombudsman Cleveland Clinic
• NIH MedlinePlus caregiver information hub. Full URL https://medlineplus.gov/caregivers.html MedlinePlus
• NIH MedlinePlus patient safety tips to use support wisely. Full URL https://medlineplus.gov/patientsafety.html MedlinePlus
• SAMHSA description of peer support workers. Full URL https://www.samhsa.gov/technical-assistance/brss-tacs/peer-support-workers SAMHSA
• SAMHSA National Model Standards for Peer Support certification. Full URL https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep23-10-01-001.pdf SAMHSA Library
• Systematic review of patient navigation in cancer treatment. Full URL https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11063100 PMC
• Randomized trial showing navigation improves time to diagnostic resolution after abnormal screening. Full URL https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4053249 PMC
• Evidence on navigation improving cancer screening in underserved populations. Full URL https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7573022 PMC
• Review on system navigation linking primary care with community services. Full URL https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10165767 PMC
• Systematic review of navigation in lung cancer screening and care. Full URL https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6685525 PMC
• Review on adherence and the role of navigation in oncology. Full URL https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5711635 PMC
• NIH Clinical Center list of federal caregiver resources. Full URL https://www.cc.nih.gov/we-care/resources Clinical Center

This article is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always talk with your clinician about your personal medical needs.