What is a Patient Advocate? 
A Patient Advocate works closely with patients in navigating the Healthcare System. We serve as a listener and communicator to patients and serve as a liaison between patients and hospital/ health care staff, assisting you with your medical care decisions and helping make things a little less complicated. 

What is a Benefits Coordinator?
A Benefits Coordinator assists you with your Health Insurance ques­tions, concerns, and needs. Explain­ing coverage types, options, and helping with the enrollment process. 

Duties
•    Respond to referrals from Medical Staff to assist with patient needs, concerns, or is­sues.
•    Assist CRST Support Service Staff with veri­fication for medical travel assistance.
•    Assist patients with their appointments, whether it is just as a support person or to be involved with communication between the provider/medical staff and the patient.
•    Provide a interpreter for Lakota Speaking patients and/or other non-English speaking patients.
•    Provide assistance with Healthcare com­plaints and follow up on these complaints to ensure they have been resolved and that they patient's concerns have been ad­dressed.
•    Network with local resources to ensure a patients medical needs are being met, whether it is with food, housing, home ren­ovations, durable medical equipment, etc.
•    Seek out resources for our tribal members to assist with their healthcare needs.
•    Advanced Directive/Living Will assistance.
•    Home visits to assess a patients needs .
•    Visit Tribal members who are placed in nursing homes outside of the CRST Reser­vation boundaries, on a quarterly basis as part of the case Management process in their care and report any finding to the appropriate agency along with the CRST Health Committee when necessary.
•    Arrange for a patients family, medical staff, and other involved care person/entity to communicate, solve issues, ex­plain care concerns, and find a common agreement in the patients care plan.
•    Assigned to the Elderly Protection Team (EPT), attending monthly meetings and assisting with EPT duties.
•    Assist you with enrolling in a Healthcare plan, understanding your coverage, and helping with questions about billing or other concerns about your Health Insur­ance.

Patient Advocate are here to help you with your Health care questions, needs, or concerns. Benefits Coordinator are here to help you with your Health Insurance questions, needs, or concerns.