When facing a serious illness, navigating the healthcare system can be overwhelming. It is during these moments that the principles of ethics and patients’ rights become more than just policies—they become a vital support system that can restore a sense of control and dignity to patients and their families.
After completing the Oncology Patient Navigator Training: The Fundamentals by the GW Cancer Center, I was reminded of just how essential ethical considerations and patients’ rights are to effective patient advocacy. These principles are not only foundational to the work advocates do but are also critical to fostering trust between patients, providers, and support systems.
What Are Patients’ Rights?
Patients in the United States are legally and ethically entitled to a set of fundamental rights designed to protect their dignity, promote fairness, and ensure they can access the best possible care. These rights include:
- Access to their medical records.
- The freedom to choose healthcare providers and insurance plans.
- The right to receive emergency care when needed.
- The right to be treated with respect and without discrimination.
These rights empower individuals to participate in their healthcare decisions and make informed choices about their treatment and care.
The Role of Ethics in Patient Advocacy
Ethics involves applying moral principles to decision-making, especially when those decisions impact others. In healthcare, ethical practice often centers around:
- Respecting patient autonomy
- Maintaining confidentiality
- Securing informed consent
- Complying with laws such as HIPAA, which protects the privacy of health information.
For patient advocates, ethical practice also means helping patients understand their medical conditions and supporting them in making choices that align with their values and goals. Importantly, advocates do not make decisions for patients or give medical advice. Instead, they create space for patients to express their needs and ensure those needs are heard and considered.
Ethical advocacy starts with truly knowing the patient—not just their chart or condition, but their personal story. That understanding helps advocates guide patients through complicated systems, giving them confidence that their care is aligned with their preferences.
Understanding HIPPA
HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, is a federal law that sets national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without a person’s consent or knowledge. HIPAA is important because it ensures the privacy and security of individuals’ medical records and other health-related information, especially as more healthcare systems store data electronically. It also gives patients’ rights over their health information, including the right to access their records and request corrections. By enforcing clear guidelines for how healthcare providers, insurance companies, and related organizations manage and share health data, HIPAA plays a critical role in maintaining trust and protecting patient confidentiality.
Patient Advocacy in Action
Once trust is established, patient advocates can help in very practical ways, such as:
- Contacting specialists on behalf of patients who have difficulty scheduling appointments.
- Helping patients navigate complicated insurance processes.
- Identifying co-pay assistance programs or pharmaceutical access pathways to reduce out-of-pocket costs
- Finding resources for transportation, housing, or caregiving support
- Clarifying treatment plans and facilitating communication between patients and their providers
These are not small tasks—they can determine whether or not a patient gets the treatment they need.
Ethics, Empowerment, and Respect Go Hand-in-Hand
No two patients are alike. Each person’s journey is shaped by their diagnosis, background, beliefs, and support network. Yet the same ethical foundation supports all: informed consent, autonomy, and dignity. The integration of ethics and patients’ rights allows advocates to stand beside patients—not in front of them—ensuring that they are heard, valued, and supported every step of the way.
How Pillar Patient Advocates Can Help
At Pillar Patient Advocates, our certified professionals are trained in patient ethics, healthcare rights, and the importance of informed choice. We help patients and caregivers understand their options, clarify their goals, and remove barriers to care. Whether you are seeking guidance after a new diagnosis or need help navigating ongoing treatment, we are here to walk with you—respectfully and ethically—through every stage of your healthcare journey.
We are also proud to connect families with licensed professionals, such as clinical social workers, care coordinators, and legal advisors, to ensure no step is missed when advocating for yourself or someone you love.
Sources
- GW Cancer Center. Oncology Patient Navigator Training: The Fundamentals (PI: Pratt-Chapman). Developed with support from CDC cooperative agreements #NU38DP004972, #5NU58DP006461, and #NU58DP007539.
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. “Your Health Information, Your Rights.” https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/index.html
- American Hospital Association. “Patient Care Partnership: Understanding Expectations, Rights and Responsibilities.”
- National Institutes of Health. “Informed Consent in Health Care.” https://www.nih.gov
Content adapted from GW Cancer Center’s Oncology Patient Navigation Training. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the official views of the GW Cancer Center or the CDC.
