Patient Advocate: Noel Harrington, MSN, RN, BCPA
Noel Harrington, MSN, RN, BCPA is an Umbra patient advocate and a registered nurse with more than 35 years of clinical experience. She supports older adults, people with complex medical needs, and the families who care for them, with particular depth in senior care, heart health, and care coordination.
Noel Harrington’s story
“My path to patient advocacy started with both clinical training and a very personal experience. In more than 35 years as a registered nurse, I have seen how confusing and overwhelming the healthcare system can be, even for people with a medical background. I watched patient after patient struggle to understand their choices and get care that worked together.
That truth hit home when both of my parents faced life-threatening diagnoses. Advocacy was no longer just part of my job. It became a matter of their survival. I can say with confidence that my parents are alive today because I was able to advocate for them.
That experience, along with years at the bedside, is what led me to patient advocacy. Having navigated the system as both a nurse and a daughter, I want to give other families that same clarity and support.”
How Noel Harrington helps clients
As an Umbra advocate, Noel can help with:
- Explaining medical information and treatment choices in plain language
- Getting ready for doctor visits and joining them, in person or virtual
- Coordinating care across specialists and care settings
- Finding the right providers when a client is seeking a diagnosis
- Support during hospital stays, plus planning for the move home or to the next setting
- Senior care planning, oversight, and help choosing the right living situation
- Preparing advance directives
- Keeping everyone on the care team communicating
- Sharing helpful resources and education
- Reviewing and reconciling medications
- Researching treatment options, including clinical trials and emerging therapies
- Help with medical billing and insurance
Noel Harrington’s experience in heart and cardiac care
Much of Noel’s nursing career has centered on cardiac care. She has coordinated heart valve programs, managed a cardiac intensive care unit, and led a hospital unit for patients with congestive heart failure. She has worked alongside heart doctors and care teams on valve repair and replacement, and guided patients through testing, treatment choices, and recovery. For clients facing a heart condition, that hands-on cardiac background is something few advocates can offer.
Work with Noel Harrington
Through Umbra, Noel’s services are covered by Medicare. For people who do not have Medicare, she also offers private pay options.
Call Umbra Health Advocacy today at 332-699-6778 or tell us more about your situation, and we can match you with Noel or a patient advocate who specializes in your challenges.