Aurora Psychiatric Hospital, Wauwatosa, 2021 Community Benefit

A Calm Approach

A young man in his early 20s arrived at Aurora Psychiatric Hospital while he was experiencing a mental health crisis. The team he was working with decided it was best to admit the man so they could help him get on track with his medication and ensure his symptoms were stable.
When the patient’s case manager learned he was uninsured, he reached out to the hospital’s financial advocate for help. The case manager informed the financial advocate that the patient was not violent, but also wasn’t cooperating when asked to share information.
The financial advocate decided to meet with the patient in person. When she arrived at the inpatient unit where the man was staying, she introduced herself and explained that she was there to help him.
The patient was resistant at first but that did not deter the financial advocate. The advocate took all the time that was needed to slowly walk through each survey question with the patient, one-by-one until they were able to complete a full financial assessment together. Thanks to the calming presence of the financial advocate, the patient felt comfortable.
The man was approved for a 100% discount on the care he received through the Advocate Aurora Patient Financial Assistance Program.
After he was discharged from the hospital, the man returned to the campus for outpatient services. Before one of his appointments, the man visited the financial advocate and to express his gratitude and apologize for the behavior he displayed during their first meeting.
The advocate occasionally still sees the patient on the hospital campus when he receives his outpatient care, and he appears to be doing very well.