APPENDIX G: A Guide to Health Care Professionals

Appendix G offers information about different health care providers inside and outside the hospital and how to locate them, such as a primary care provider, health coach, disease manager, chaplain, mental health professional or patient advocate.

Sample Resources:

American Psychological Association allows you to find listings of local psychologists, or the hotline operator can use your zip code to locate and connect you with the referral service of the state psychological association.
(800) 964-2000 (toll-free)

Specially trained nurses and social workers who will advise you on your rights and responsibilities for receiving Medicaid and Social Security, what the benefits are and how to obtain them. This service can often be found for free from community organizations such as the State Medicaid Office, ADRC (Aging and Disability Resource Centers), the State Health Insurance counselors, Medicare, Medicare carriers, the toll-free 800 Medicare or (800) 633-4227, or the Social Security resource line.

Patient navigators are most often available through hospitals for their patients, especially those who have public insurance such as Medicaid, non-native speakers and people with disabilities. Depending on their background, navigators can help you schedule appointments with specialists, explain your test results and walk you through your options for treatment, check into billing problems, refer you to counseling or just listen to your concerns with an ear toward how they can help.

This information was last updated June 2010 and will be updated every six months. A more complete list of information and resources are available in the book Aftershock and on the Prepared Patient Forum.

UPDATED JUNE 2010

Updated URLS:

American Psychological Association (p. 242)
NEW URL: http://locator.apa.org/

Center for Patient Partnership at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (p. 244)
NEW URL: http://patientpartnerships.org//