Programs that help adolescents with chronic diseases or disabilities make a successful transition to adult health care providers. There is usually a period of co-management during which a child is seen by pediatric specialists and adult providers; and an adult care plan is generally developed by the team to document current diagnoses and therapies, and lay out guidelines for the frequency of medical visits to specialists and primary care providers, the role of each adult provider in the overall care plan, and the frequency of lab studies and other clinical evaluations.

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Programs that provide a temporary place to stay for individuals and/or families who require this type of assistance based on the health condition of a family member.

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Programs that provide support services for patients and their families during hospitalization and upon discharge, for people receiving outpatient services, for previous patients and for other people not previously associated with the facility who need the service. Included are consultation and the coordination of available services for the patient's continuing care at home or in a short or long-term care facility; or whatever other support may be needed to help resolve the logistical, social and psychological problems related to the illness.

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Programs, usually staffed by volunteer private pilots, that provide flight services for medical missions which may include transporting human organs and tissue for transplants; plasma or whole blood; anatomical specimens for medical research; medical personnel, equipment and supplies; and, in instances of medical and financial need, individual patients who require services from health care facilities that they would be unable to access without assistance. Also included are programs that provide compassionate, non-emergency long-distance ground transportation for patients in need, usually by bus.

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Programs that help people navigate through the maze of doctors' offices, clinics, hospitals, outpatient centres, insurance and payment systems, patient-support organizations and other components of the health care system with the objective of supporting timely delivery of quality care and ensuring that patients, survivors and families are satisfied with their encounters with the health care system. Personal health care advocates are trained health care workers, often nurses, or volunteers familiar with the health care system who work independently of any health care institution. They help patients identify specialists, coordinate appointments with providers to assure timely delivery of diagnostic and treatment services, provide "cheat sheets" of questions, and lay out the choices patients have in plain English. They may also ensure that appropriate medical records are available at scheduled appointments, accompany patients to medical appointments, arrange language translation or interpretation services, facilitate financial support and help with paperwork, negotiate insurance claims, arrange transportation and/or child/elder care, provide access to clinical trials and facilitate linkages to follow-up services. Some programs contract with employers to serve as personal advocates for employees who are ill; and others work exclusively with individuals who have specific illnesses, e.g., cancer.

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