Patient Advocate Qualifications

Patient advocates are qualified for management of health and money issues.

Necessary qualifications for a career in patient advocacy (also called health care advocacy) vary widely, depending on the needs of a specific employer or organization. Licensure or certification is not necessary, and some advocates find employment with as little as a high school diploma and a desire to help others. Still, organizations and others involved in the field have developed college degree programs and overall qualifications that will assist an individual in safeguarding the rights and health of patients.

Nine Skills

The Society for Healthcare Consumer Advocacy of the American Hospital Association identifies nine areas of practice and knowledge as being crucial for the position of a patient and consumer advocate--patient rights, grievance and complaint management, patient satisfaction measurement, customer service, mediation/conflict negotiation, crisis intervention, data management and healthcare management. Concerning patient rights, an advocate should possess thorough knowledge and compliance with all federal and state laws, as well as the standards of regulatory agencies. Grievance and complaint management involves analyzing concerns and disputes and taking appropriate measures for resolution, while measuring satisfaction involves integrating tools and data to improve the way an advocate’s employer satisfies patients. Interpersonal communications build rapport among all concerned parties for the benefit of the patient, and customer service involves developing integrated customer service initiatives. Mediation and conflict negotiation is a vital component of a patient advocate’s day, as he intervenes in disharmonious relationships among the patient and others involved in the health care process. Crisis intervention involves managing chaotic situations for the benefit of the patient and family, while data management concerns gathering patient and other statistical information. An advocate should also seize all opportunities to participate in local and national health issues.

Society for Healthcare Consumer Advocacy

155 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 400

Chicago, IL 60606

[phone]

shca-aha.org

Master's Degree

Sarah Lawrence College established the first health advocacy master’s degree program in 1980. Two years of full-time study are required to complete the degree, while part-time students are able to complete the course requirements in three years. The college considers the following courses mandatory in providing the minimum qualifications necessary to be a highly successful patient advocate in the health care field; Models of Advocacy: Theory and Practice (2 semesters), Community Health Advocacy, Economics of Health, Ethics and Advocacy, Program Design and Evaluation, Health Care Policy, Health Law, History of Health Care in the United States, Illness Narratives: Understanding the Experience of Illness, Physiology and Disease, Fieldwork Pro Seminar, Capstone Pro Seminar, and Intentional Communication Pro Seminar. Students receive on-site supervised training in a variety of settings.

Sarah Lawrence College

1 Mead Way

Bronxville, NY 10708

914-337-0700

slc.edu

General Skills

Cleveland State University delivers an online, continuing education program developed to offer individuals the opportunity to receive certification as a patient advocate. The courses are open to health care professionals interested in patient advocacy, in addition to anyone interested in entering the field. The Ohio university says patient advocates should possess excellent problem-solving ability, oral and written communication skills, sensitivity and compassion, good interviewing skills, tact when helping patients, and the ability to be non-judgmental or biased.

Cleveland State University

2121 Euclid Ave.

Cleveland, OH 44115-2214

216.687.2000

csuohio.edu

References

• Society for Healthcare Consumer Advocacy
• Sarah Lawrence College: Health Advocacy
• Cleveland State University:Nursing and Health/Human Services