National Association of Healthcare Advocacy Consultants – Present at the Creation
The National Association of Healthcare Advocacy Consultants (www.nahac.com) held a successful inaugural conference November 14-15 in Berkeley, California.
As a former diplomat, I’ve always loved the phrase associated with our post-war Secretary of State Dean Acheson – to be “present at the creation.”
This is exactly how we all felt this weekend – to be present at the creation of an important organization leading the way for for our new profession. We participated in two intense days of workshops, networking and strategic planning. Our next conference will be held in Washington, D.C. in November 2010.
The National Association of Healthcare Advocacy Consultants (NAHAC) is designed to bring together under a professional umbrella the many individuals now working around the country as navigators and advocates. One of our intial goals is to develop a code of ethics and to build business and professional resources. The other key goal of the Association will be to provide a clear voice and reasoned opinions on policy matters related to navigating the healthcare system, patient advocacy and health care reform. As health care reform winds its way through the Congress, the Association will be vigilant about the many forthcoming changes so that we can continue to help the families we work with find their way through the system to achieve the best possible outcomes.
As I’ve described in previous posts, the emerging field of patient navigation and patient advocacy has burst onto the scene in 2009. Advocates and navigators work to fill the glaring gaps in the U.S. healthcare delivery system which is fragmented, confusing, expensive, and inefficient. Since 2005, my company Patient Navigator LLC has been helping families solve problems, navigate the complexities of the American healthcare system and benefit from an integrative approach to treatment and recovery. Now as Vice President of the NAHAC, I look forward to helping chart the course for our new profession. To learn more, please visit www.nahac.com
The First Annual Meeting of the NAHAC was a remarkable event, as Elizabeth has conveyed. Perhaps my overriding impression was the sense of purpose and camaraderie amongst the participants. I was struck by the willingness of attendees to share their professional experience and encourage each other in moving the profession forward, driven largely, I think, by our sense of how vital our services are. As Dr. Jay said in his email to the group this week, “I am certain that many if not all of you will succeed in helping the needy and vulnerable, the sick…” An excellent goal to keep in mind as we forge ahead with the myriad details of what exactly this profession will be, and how exactly we will carry out our mission.
I am starting a Patient Advocate practice in Jacksonville Florida. I hold a M.Ed. in Educational Psychology and I have been going through the Lung Transplant process at Mayo Clinic for my wife. This is an education in itself. I am a member of the National Patient Advocate Foundation and will be presenting the organization at various Mayo support group meetings. I plan on entering the University of Miami Certificate program in the summer session. How does your organization help individuals like myself develope a professional relationship with prospective patients that could benifit from providing a service?
Hello Dwight, the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy Consultants is designed exactly for people in your position and our members are at different stages of developing their business. If you go to the home page of NAHAC website (www.nahac.com), you can take a survey to help us shape the November 2010 conference. There are a lot of folks with questions like yours. You need to sign up with the survey tool to take it, but it’s free and very quick and easy. We look forward to your input and hope you’ll join NAHAC. You’re perfectly positioned to benefit from it.
I would like to join your organization. I am presently starting my Patient Care Advocacy business and I feel that your organization will be very helpful to me and I think I could be a definite asset to your organization.
I would very much like to become a Pt. Navigator/Health Care Advocate. I am a RN licensed in Michigan, however, I am living in Loveland Co. at this time. I have no idea where to start and would appreciate any/all information to reach this goal I have set.
Patrick, I am a student at Baker College in Michigan in the Patient Navigator program. It is a very good way to get started, though the program is going through some changes right now.
I do know that St. Joseph Mercy health systems has a “volunteer navigator program” that may get your foot in the door to learn how to become a nurse navigator.
Good luck with this!! We need all the navigators we can get!!