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Health Advocate, Health Navigator, Mental Health Patient Advocate, Patient Navigator
Patient advocates offer a variety of services. These services may not be offered by the provincial government’s Office of the Health Advocate or the Office of the Mental Health Patient Advocate. These offices have legislated functions distinct from those of a patient advocate.
The role of a patient advocate is to:
Patient advocates perform some or all the following duties:
Patient advocates document and track patients’ progress through the above processes. They offer follow-up services based on these records. They may write reports or summaries based on what they do. Job descriptions vary since patient advocacy is an emerging field.
Working conditions for patient advocates vary depending on their job description, work location, and whether they are self-employed. Patient advocates spend some of their time:
Patient advocates spend a lot of time in health-care settings. As a result, they may face increased exposure to infectious illnesses.
Patient advocates need:
They should enjoy:
Most emerging occupations develop from more than one occupation. People working in this occupation may come from a variety of education and training backgrounds. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should contact associations and employers in this field to investigate education options and employment possibilities.
Educational requirements for patient advocates vary based on the employer. A minimum of a 2-year post-secondary diploma in a relevant discipline such as nursing, social work, or business is sometimes required. Some employers may also require work experience related to patient advocacy.
Patient advocates who run their own businesses should be self-starters. They need to think creatively to market and promote their business. They should also be good at networking and developing business contacts.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certification is not required as there is currently no legislation regulating this occupation in Canada. However, certificate training programs are available in the United States through the Patient Advocate Certification Board and some universities.
Emerging occupations typically are the result of:
Often there are too few people working in an emerging occupation to gather survey information. Therefore, it can be difficult to define advancement opportunities or employment outlook. Some Albertans already are working in this emerging occupation, but future demand for it is unknown.
Most patient advocates are self-employed. However, some work for health-care institutions. For example, the Professional Conduct department of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta employs on-staff patient advocates. These advocates help the public with complaints about physicians.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
Explore emerging workplace trends in Alberta that could affect this occupation.
Often there are too few people working in an emerging occupation to gather survey information. Therefore, no current provincial salary data is available for this occupation.
Alliance of Professional Health Advocates website: aphadvocates.org
Open Arms Patient Advocacy Society website: openarmsadvocacy.com
Office of Alberta Health Advocates website: www.alberta.ca/office-of-alberta-health-advocates
Patient Advocate Certification Board (USA) website: www.pacboard.org
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2024. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
