Frequently Asked Questions

What is Patient Path NYC?

Patient Path NYC is a private patient advocacy practice founded by Shlomit Liberty, MS, MA, CCC-SLP, BCPA, a seasoned medical professional and Board Certified Patient Advocate. We provide personal medical crisis management for adult patients and families during hospitalization and discharge planning, ensuring care is aligned with each patient’s values, goals, and needs.

Who do you work with?

We work exclusively with inpatients - individuals currently admitted to acute care hospitals, acute rehabilitation centers, or subacute rehabilitation facilities. Our services are designed for patients and families navigating complex hospital systems, where extra support, communication, and medical insight are most critical.

Do you work with patients in the community or outpatient settings?

No. Our focus is entirely inpatient care. We specialize in advocacy during hospitalization and through the transition back to the community, ensuring that the discharge process and next level of care are safe, appropriate, and consistent with the patient’s wishes.

How is your work different from a hospital social worker or care manager?

While social workers and care managers play important roles within the hospital, our approach is comprehensive and clinically detailed.

• We are trained medical practitioners with years of clinical experience reading, writing, and interpreting medical documentation across specialties.

• We review every note in the chart, including physician entries, nursing updates, labs, imaging, and medication administration records.

• We visit patients at the bedside several times per week, spending hours at a time to monitor progress, clarify care plans, and communicate directly with medical teams.

• We advocate proactively, ensuring that hospital stays or rehabilitation programs are extended when medically justified, and that discharge plans are safe, appropriate, and aligned with the patient’s goals and beliefs.
  

In short, we quarterback the patient’s care, connecting all moving parts of the hospital system to serve one central purpose: the patient’s best interest.

Do you accept insurance?

No. We work privately and independently with our clients. This ensures that our loyalty and advocacy are solely for the patient and their family, not the hospital, insurance company, or next level of care. Payment is made directly by clients, allowing for fully unbiased and personalized support.

How do you work with medical teams?

We collaborate directly with the patient’s physicians, nurses, therapists, and case management staff. Our role is to facilitate communication, ensure that everyone involved in the patient’s care is aligned, and that the patient and family clearly understand all updates and decisions. We act as a bridge - translating complex medical information into plain language and ensuring that questions are answered promptly and accurately.

Can referring professionals or hospital teams contact you?

Yes. We often work in partnership with hospital teams, discharge planners, and other professionals who recognize when a patient or family would benefit from additional support. Our involvement can reduce delays, improve communication, and allow hospital teams to focus on clinical priorities while knowing the family is fully supported.

What kinds of patients benefit most from your services?

We are ideal for patients and families who are - 

• Feeling overwhelmed or unsure of next steps during a hospital stay

• Facing complex medical decisions or multiple providers

• Experiencing communication challenges with the care team

• Preparing for rehabilitation, skilled nursing, or home care and needing help evaluating options

• Seeking peace of mind that their loved one’s care is being closely monitored and guided by a trained medical advocate
  

Where do you provide services?

We serve patients and families in all hospitals and rehabilitation centers across New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx), Nassau County, Westchester, and South Fairfield County, CT. 

How do we get started?

You can contact Patient Path NYC through our website’s contact form or by email/phone. We’ll schedule a FREE initial consultation to learn about your situation, explain our process, and determine how we can best support you and your loved one during hospitalization and discharge planning.