Patient Advocate Services
Helping You Navigate Your Healthcare Journey
All of our patients have an experienced patient advocate to guide them through their journey. From understanding what insurance will cover and how to pay for surgery to what to expect before and after, the advocate also provides personalized assistance with coordinating care across the team and getting answers to questions along the way.
The patient advocate is a key player on your team, providing knowledgeable support, compassion and encouragement through every step of your journey.
Benefits of a Patient Advocate:
Meet Mary G. Martinez, RN, Joint Coordinator
Orthopedic Patient Navigator
“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing patients re-gain their freedom to walk and do things they weren’t able to before.” - Mary Martinez
As Joint Coordinator at Valley Baptist Hospital in Harlingen, nurse Mary Martinez works with orthopedic patients and their families from admission, in pre- and post-op care during their stay, and through their discharge from the hospital. This includes coordination with patients, doctors, the clinical staff and all disciplines to discuss the treatment plan and help ensure good communication and outcomes for each patient. Mary’s years of experience as an orthopedic and surgical nurse have provided outstanding preparation for this role, which she has been in since 2013.
One patient story that stands out in particular for Mary involved a husband who was having joint replacement surgery. He was the primary caregiver for his wife, though. After his procedure, he worked very hard at our rehabilitation center so he could get back to his wife. The team at Valley Baptist got to know him and his family during his care. The whole family came to visit several times afterward to show their appreciation for taking care of him.
