AHA

         

SHCA Domains of Practice:
Providing the Framework of Patient Advocacy Essentials

SHCA is committed to providing resources to empower our members to do their jobs better. As a new patient advocate or new to SHCA, we encourage you to take full advantage of your membership. Read below to find out more about the SHCA educational programs and invest in your future today.

  • Domains of Practice Certificate Program (Offered monthly via webinar throughout 2012)
  • Domains of Practice Pre-Conference Workshop (Offered April 17, 2012)
  • 2012 Annual Conference: Be a Patient Advocate Star (Offered April 17-20, 2012)

The Domains of Practice are the cornerstone of SHCA’s professional development offerings. Regardless of your level, SHCA offers a variety of programs that are designed to give you the educational foundation for patient advocacy skills and competencies.

SHCA has identified the following as key knowledge for advanced competency in the role of a patient and advocate:

  • Patient Rights
  • Grievance and Complaint Management
  • Measuring Patient Satisfaction
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Customer Service/Service Excellence
  • Mediation/Conflict Resolution
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Data Management
  • Healthcare Management

Domains of Practice Certificate Program

Offered monthly via webinar (75 minutes each)

The 15-hour curriculum is delivered over a series of 12 webinars and offers a fresh look at the fundamentals of patient advocacy. The webinars are designed to provide convenient, professional development opportunities.

Why should you participate?

  • The content is designed by patient advocates for patient advocates.
  • You will gain access to expert, practitioner faculty during and after the webinar including a live Q&A segment.
  • You will connect and learn from patient advocate peers after the module by participating in the SHCA listserv or other national SHCA events.
  • Upon successful completion of the domain module, participants will receive a certificate in that area of healthcare patient advocacy.


Purchase the Season Pass to attend all 12 modules for the price of 10. The member rate is $1400. Individual modules are priced for members at $140 per session.

If your facility wants to purchase an individual module or a Season Pass, you only need to pay one fee and everyone who participates will earn a certificate of completion for that module after completing the evaluation.

To learn more about the curriculum that will be discussed each month, please refer to the program website by clicking here.

Domains of Practice Pre-Conference Workshop

Offered face-to-face, April 17, 2012 – Austin, Texas - Renaissance Hotel

Join us at our second annual SHCA Domains of Practice Pre-Conference workshop, an exclusive, face-to-face learning and networking opportunity, where you will participate in interactive exercises, discussions and gain new knowledge necessary to succeed in the patient advocacy field.

 

Faculty will cover the spectrum of knowledge by reviewing how each domain contributes to a strong foundation and empowers you to take a more active role within your facility to improve the patient experience. They will further explore two of the Domains - Grievance and Complaint Management and Data Management - where you will gain valuable knowledge regarding CMS Conditions of Participation requirements for complying with grievance guidelines, reporting, and data analysis.

Those completing the course will be awarded a certificate of completion. The member rate to attend this 6-hour opportunity is $249.

Registration details can be found in the Annual Conference brochure on the SHCA website.

2012 Annual Conference: Be a Patient Advocate Star
Offered face-to-face, April 17 - 20, 2012 – Austin, Texas - Renaissance Hotel

No matter what type of setting or size your institution is, what role you serve or how many years you’ve been in patient advocacy, the annual conference provides the tools you need today. We constantly reevaluate our educational offerings to ensure we’re giving you the up-to-date subject matter that you can use when you return home.

The early bird member rate of $575 ends February 24. To read full program details, sessions, and speakers, please download the brochure on the conference website by clicking here.

If you have questions or would like more information on how to make the most of your membership, please feel free to contact SHCA at (312) 422-3700 or shca@aha.org.


In addition to the Domains of Practice educational strategy, the SHCA board of directors created a short guidance list for those interested in joining the profession:

 

  • Patient Advocates are highly skilled communicators who work with patients and families to help them navigate healthcare. A patient advocate must maintain basic competencies in the identified 9 Domains of Practice.
  • The majority of patient advocates work in hospitals. Some are nurses, others are social workers, but many have other or no degrees. The titles given to this role vary considerably among the institutions as do the qualifications of the individuals enrolled.
  • Some facilities require a MSW or BSN and a minimum 5 years hospital experience with previous patient relations experience preferred. Skill sets include: advanced communication, customer service, interpersonal and problem solving skills.
  • Patient advocates are flexible and creative in their approach to what the individual patient or family needs. They empower our patients and families through knowledge and enlightenment, providing them with what they need to make an informed decision regarding their care.
  • Also helpful for this position is having the following: analytical problem solving ability; excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to relate to all types of people; being sensitive and compassionate when dealing with patients/families; being a good listener; good interviewing skills; tact in dealing with patients, families and staff; empathy; being patient and non-judgmental; possessing a good sense of humor; and having some experience and understanding of the organization.
  • There may not be an opening or even a position of a patient advocate in the organization you are considering. However, work to sell yourself to them and stress the need for this position. Patient advocates function as the eyes and ears for the organization. They bring important information to the organization to make continuous improvements. They advocate for the patients’ concerns, facilitate change to meet the needs of the patient and the organization, and provide proactive problem-solving to meet the patient’s needs and expectations.
  • Interested members/individuals can contact a SHCA board member or hospitals in their area directly and ask to speak with the Director of Patient Relations or an Administrator to find out about availability and requirements. 

Patient Advocacy is a rapidly growing profession. In times like these, it is necessary to be as informed as possible, keep abreast of what's going in legislature regarding Patient Advocacy, changes in regulations, etc.

 

The benefits of a SHCA membership are rewarding and include ongoing education through face-to-face and desktop learning venues, publication and resource discounts, national and regional conferences where you have the opportunity to network with other Patient Advocates around the country, a career center, an instant email communication tool – the listserv, and many much more. To join, click here.

 

For less than $3 per week, a SHCA membership rewards you with the following benefits:

 

Join SHCA today!