As I discussed in the article, <b>I Have Three Words for You… </b><a href="http://www.hormonesoup.com/i-have-3-words-for-you/"><b>http://www.hormonesoup.com/i-have-3-words-for-you/</b></a>, getting proper medical treatment demands that you advocate for yourself and become a vital part of your healing team. The concept is solid, but what if your health issues leave you unable to advocate for yourself?   If you don’t have the energy or strength to invest in ongoing self-advocacy, what can you do? In this case, your best strategy is to enlist the help of someone else to advocate on your behalf. One option that can work well is to have a trusted friend or family member learn about your medical condition and accompany you to appointments. This person can come prepared with a list of questions and issues to address with your health care provider. Sometimes even the presence of a third party will cause physicians to be more thorough and attentive.   If there is no one in your immediate circles that you feel comfortable asking for assistance, or if you feel that your medical issues require are too in-depth for a personal ally to take on, another option is to hire a professional health advocate, also referred to as a patient care advocate. Professional health advocates are trained to create a dynamic in which patient-centered care is the main objective. These advocates adhere to a code of conduct that guarantees patient confidentiality. Their main concern is ensuring that your health and safety are the top priority in the care you receive, and that any values or beliefs that are important to you are respected. While they will be a strong ally working on your behalf, their role is one of guidance and support, not making medical decisions on your behalf. You can view the complete code of conduct for Health Advocates here http://healthadvocatecode.org/.   If you are interested in hiring an advocate, there are many resources available online to help you locate a professional health advocate in your area. One such website is Advo Connection <a href="http://advoconnection.com/">http://advoconnection.com/</a>, which offers listing of professionals and a list of books and blogs that can be very helpful. For U.S. residents, The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates http://aphadvocates.org/ offers a database of its members, and Patient Matters http://www.patient-matters.com/ offers many helpful links to resources. Those living in Canada will find resources at Help with Healthcare <a href="http://helpwithhealthcare.ca/">http://helpwithhealthcare.ca/</a>, and if you live in the U.K. you can access a database of more than 2,000 resources at Patient.co.uk <a href="http://www.patient.co.uk/directory/patient-advocacy-advice">http://www.patient.co.uk/directory/patient-advocacy-advice</a>.   Remember that while your doctor and other healthcare specialists you work with have a degree of professional experience that you don’t, this does not mean that you don’t have valuable information and input that deserves consideration. I often hear about doctors “firing” patients they feel are too much trouble, but this is backwards. They may choose not to work with you, but they can’t fire you. They work for you, not the other way around. When is the last time a doctor paid you for an appointment? There is a huge difference between expecting to be included in your care and taken serious and being adversarial, and a doctor that has your best interests at heart will welcome you to be a key player in your care. If they don’t, maybe it is time to find a new doctor.       In the USA: <a title="The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates" href="http://aphadvocates.org/" target="_blank">The Aliiance of Professional Health Advocates</a>   <a title="Patient Matters" href="http://www.patient-matters.com/" target="_blank">Patient Matters</a>       In Canada: <a title="Help with Healthcare" href="http://www.helpwithhealthcare.ca/" target="_blank">Help with Healthcare</a>  http://www.helpwithhealthcare.ca/   To read more about the Code of Conduct <a title="Health Advocate Code of Conduct" href="http://healthadvocatecode.org/" target="_blank">Health Advocates Code of Conduct </a>