A Personal Healthcare Navigator at Work for You
A Personal Healthcare Navigator, sometimes referred to as a Patient Advocate, is not affiliated with a hospital or physician. We work independently for you, as our client. We help patients navigate the healthcare landscape and ensure our client receives the best care possible.
Our Navigators can provide many services, including:
Is a personal healthcare Navigator right for you? If you or someone you love suffers from a chronic illness, is in need of complex care, or if you visit doctors regularly or receive treatment from multiple doctors, a Navigator may be able to help in many ways.
Did you know that the majority of information provided during a doctor’s appointment is not absorbed and/or understood by the patient? CCMS Navigators are there to accompany and assist you in preparing your questions, ensuring your health history is complete and accurate, taking notes, helping you understand your treatment plans, and coordinating follow up after your visits. We can accompany you through all phases of a healthcare crisis, from initial screening to treatment and follow-up care. We can also partner with you to handle long term health issues that require different specialists and medical facilities. Through the journey, our Navigator helps you communicate with your healthcare providers so you can get and understand the information you need to make decisions. Our Navigators can help set up appointments for doctor visits and medical tests that fit your schedule and stamina.
When we accompany you on appointments and consultations, we also make sure that each specialist has the same medication list and past medical history. We communicate your plan of care to people you identify as Needing-To-Know, including family members, other doctors, and anyone else who is involved in your care. We are advocates for your safe healthcare journey and understand the importance of drawing together the fragmented information provided by specialists and consultants into one consolidated repository – YOU.
We are not substitute decision makers and we cannot speak on your behalf unless we are legally recognized to do so. Also, we will not speak to a physician or healthcare provider about your care without your written permission.
Comprehensive medication management is no small task, especially when you or a loved one has a chronic condition that requires many medications that are both prescription and over the counter. Many people decide to hire professional medication management services, and we are here to help. We can also make sure your medication list is current and accurate. We can contact your pharmacies to ensure your medications are ordered on time and properly. We can also sort your medications by day and time in a specified medication distribution system. One of the most preventable mistakes is a medication error, and we can help check and double check that the medications are correct.
The mountain of medical bills that often accompany illness can be complex and overwhelming. We are available to help patients or their loved ones navigate through the business side of healthcare, assisting you with the financial issues. We can handle paperwork and navigate issues like the cost of treatment, medical billing issues, insurance filings and negotiations. It is our job to trace through the bills, identify potential billing errors, and protect our client’s financial responsibilities.
It has been proven that patients that receive visitors have a more rapid recovery process and a decreased length of stay. A visit from a CCMS Navigator can provide socialization, but also ensure that the patient is receiving appropriate attention and care. Are they getting out of bed? If able, are they walking the halls? Do they need help selecting their menu or eating their food? Sometimes, hospital staff can get so busy, that standard elements of care do not receive the attention they require. A daily visit from a Navigator can go a long way to helping morale and ensuring quality care.
Patients in assisted living and long term care would also benefit from a Navigator visit on a regular basis. We might be able to take their laundry home to wash, or bring a treat or fulfill a special request during our visit. When family cannot be there, the CCMS Navigator can step in to help.
Give us a call and we will sit down with you to discuss the type and level of service you require. We will create a plan together that meets your needs. We work on a retainer basis, and the amount of the retainer is based on the anticipated monthly services. We place the retainer in a separate account, and charge against it as services are provided. When your retainer drops down to 10% of the original fill, we will invoice for retainer replenishment. However, if you no longer need our services, we will refund the unused amount.
The cost of services is based on the type of service required. We have four (4) types of Navigators:
Each type of CCMS Healthcare Navigator has a set hourly rate, so if you need four (4) hours of medication management service from an LPN and three (3) hours of “visitation” service for a relative in long term care, you will be charged a different rate that corresponds to the educational level and licensure of the Navigator. These rates will be agreed upon at the start of our relationship, and adjusted by contract as necessary.
