At EligibilityAdvocates, our Patient Advocates are committed to going the extra mile for every person they assist. Patient Advocacy is their passion, and we believe it is important to acknowledge their exceptional efforts at making a difference in the lives of the patients they help and support.
This month we are recognizing Zaira Zavaleta as Outstanding Patient Advocate!
Below we share the story of how she went above and beyond for her patients at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Missouri.
Impacting Communities, One Patient at a Time: Building the Bridge
Our Outstanding Patient Advocate Zaira Zavaleta is a bilingual resource and compassionate advocate for the Spanish-speaking patients in her community.
An undocumented patient who spoke only Spanish faced language and cultural barriers as he attempted to navigate the unfamiliar and confusing financial aspects of his healthcare.
Our Patient Advocate Zaira Zavaleta served as a source of clarity and comfort for a patient in a very frustrating situation. Zaira not only built a bridge of communication with her bilingual abilities, but also established trust through her expertise, assistance, and perseverance.
When this patient’s applications for Medicaid and Food Stamps were denied, Zaira refused to give up. She continues fighting on his behalf to appeal his case while providing updates and reassurance to the patient throughout the process.
Zaira’s commitment and compassion have opened the door for trust and cooperation from an entire population of discouraged undocumented patients. Their confidence has allowed her to gather appropriate information needed to answer several denials at the state level. She has become a resource and point of contact for the Spanish-speaking community, connecting them to all available assistance programs and services.
Zaira remains a liaison between the hospital, patients, and Missouri’s state agencies, making a difference and a positive impact in her community.
Thank you, Zaira, for building the bridge needed to unite a community and overcome patients’ barriers to assistance. You are truly an Outstanding Patient Advocate!