Patient advocates mean to educate patients on hospital’s service
Neima C. Nuñez, patient assistant representative, left, and Tulula Barber, patient assistant coordinator, review files before assisting clients in their offices at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. Photo by Clarence Giles, Monitor Staff.
Clarence Giles,
Monitor Staff:
“We want current and future patients to know they can come in for health concerns,” said Neima C. Nuñez, patient assistant representative in the patient advocate office at William Beaumont Army Medical Center.
According to Tulula Barber, patient representative coordinator with WBAMC, WBAMC wants to communicate it is the health care facility of choice because of earned trust over years of service. The command wants prospective patients to know they will be heard, their concerns addressed, and there is a mechanism in place to satisfy requirements.
All prospective and current patients may refer medical issues to the patient advocate office if there is no resolution in the clinic or service visited.
“I sit down, speak to patients and address whatever concerns they have,” said Nuñez. “We are guides. We don’t advocate outcomes; we assist with resolutions.”
Some of the services offered, such as allergy, dermatology, cardiology and obstetrics and gynecology, are at times limited because of the availability of assigned physicians. Nevertheless, all eligible Soldiers and dependents receive uniform health care.
“There is a time frame when shortages in some of the specialty services occur,” said Julia Yubeta a public affairs specialist for WBAMC. “They have to limit services because of availability of assigned physicians. We are constantly working on expanding our services, so that everyone gets their health care, here.”
To learn more, visit Room 3B6 on the third floor of WBAMC from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or call 742-2692 or 742-2508.
Short URL: http://fbmonitor.com/?p=15492
