What is a patient advocate?
A patient advocate is a person who supports patients in navigating the health system. They help organise medical records, prepare appointment documents, explain health information in plain language, and ensure that a patient's concerns are communicated clearly to their treating team.
Patient advocates are not doctors and do not diagnose conditions or prescribe treatment. Their role sits entirely outside clinical practice. They act as a bridge between you and your clinical team — helping you arrive at appointments prepared, informed, and heard.
In Australia, patient advocacy is a health education and navigation service. It is distinct from registered medical practice and from the formal hospital-based patient liaison roles offered by some public health services.
What does a patient advocate do?
The day-to-day work of a patient advocate varies depending on the client's needs. At CareBridge, services fall into six broad categories:
- Preparing for medical appointments — organising your most important questions, summarising your recent symptoms, and preparing a concise handover document your GP or specialist can read in under two minutes.
- Organising your medical records — turning years of scattered test results, specialist letters, and imaging reports into a clear, chronological health timeline.
- Explaining medical information — translating medical letters, results, and terminology into plain language, so you know exactly what questions to ask and what to expect at your next appointment.
- Coordination and follow-up — tracking outstanding referrals and pending investigations, and keeping information flowing between your health professionals.
- Support for complex cases — helping patients with multiple specialists, chronic conditions, or delayed diagnoses who feel lost or dismissed by the health system.
- Bilingual support — health navigation in English, Spanish, and Portuguese for patients whose first language is not English.
Do I need a patient advocate?
You do not need a patient advocate for routine care. Most GP visits and straightforward specialist appointments do not require one. However, a patient advocate can make a significant difference in specific situations:
- You have a chronic, complex, or long-undiagnosed condition — such as fibromyalgia, POTS, Ehlers-Danlos syndromes, or ME/CFS — and have struggled to be believed or effectively managed.
- You feel dismissed, unheard, or overwhelmed at medical appointments.
- You have years of medical history scattered across multiple GPs, specialists, and hospitals that no single clinician has ever reviewed together.
- English is not your first language and something always gets lost in translation.
- You have a major upcoming appointment — a specialist consultation, hospital admission, or care conference — and want to arrive prepared.
- You have received a new or complex diagnosis and need help understanding what it means and what questions to ask.
A good patient advocate will tell you honestly if your situation does not require their involvement. The free 15-minute intro call at CareBridge exists for exactly this reason.
What is the difference between a patient advocate and a doctor?
The distinction is clear and important.
A doctor — whether a general practitioner or a specialist — is a registered health practitioner authorised by AHPRA and the relevant specialist college. They diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, order investigations, and take legal and professional responsibility for clinical decisions. You can only access many services in the Australian health system through a registered treating clinician.
A patient advocate has no clinical authority. They make no diagnostic or treatment decisions. They cannot refer you to a specialist, prescribe anything, or override any clinical recommendation. What they can do is make sure that when you sit across from your doctor, you are presenting your health story as clearly and completely as possible — and that you leave that appointment with a clear understanding of what was said and what happens next.
CareBridge's Health Navigator, Antonella Soarez Dornelles, holds a medical degree from Fundación H.A. Barceló (Argentina) and has clinical research experience at the Dobney Hypertension Centre, UWA / Royal Perth Hospital. She is not registered with AHPRA and does not practise medicine in Australia. Her medical background informs the quality of the documents and evidence summaries she produces — it does not make CareBridge a clinical service.
How much does a patient advocate cost in Australia?
Costs vary considerably across Australia depending on the provider and the scope of work. Some advocates charge by the hour; others (like CareBridge) use a fixed-fee model so there are no surprises.
CareBridge's current published pricing:
| Service | Price | What's included | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP Consult Ready | $190 | Focused appointment preparation document | 3–5 business days |
| Health Evidence Summary | $390 | Comprehensive history & evidence document for specialist referrals or complex case reviews | 5–7 business days |
| Complex Case Navigation | $690 | Full case review, evidence summary, and coordination support | 7–10 business days |
| Add-ons & sessions | From $60 | Supplements to any report — see Services page | Varies |
Patient advocacy is not currently covered by Medicare or private health insurance in Australia. A complimentary post-appointment follow-up is included with every CareBridge report.
Can a patient advocate help with a specialist referral?
A patient advocate cannot issue a referral. Only a registered GP or specialist can write a referral in the Australian health system.
What a patient advocate can do is make your referral significantly more effective. Many referrals are rejected, redirected, or deprioritised because the referring GP did not have a clear picture of the patient's full history or the specific concerns that warranted specialist review.
CareBridge can prepare a Health Evidence Summary — a structured document that organises your symptom history, relevant test results, prior diagnoses or ruling-out, and the specific clinical questions you need a specialist to address. You give this to your GP when requesting the referral. A busy GP who receives a two-page document with a clear clinical narrative is far better placed to write a strong referral than one relying on a five-minute verbal summary.
This does not guarantee a referral or guarantee acceptance. But it significantly increases the quality of information reaching the specialist, and therefore the quality of what happens in the appointment.
How do I get started?
The first step is a free 15-minute introductory call — no obligation, no paperwork, no payment. You describe your situation; CareBridge explains whether and how it can help, and which service would be the right fit. If CareBridge is not the right fit, you will be told that directly.
Calls are available by video or phone. You can book a free call or reach out by WhatsApp. All services are delivered online, so CareBridge is available to patients across all of Australia — not only Perth.