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Private, Independent, Professional Patient Advocacy Programs
Private patient advocacy, the opportunity to work one-on-one with patients, paid by patients or their caregivers, or perhaps by a patient’s employer, are the fastest growing segment of advocacy.
Please note that most of these programs will tell you they provide you with patient advocacy certification. However, they may give you a certificate when you complete the program, but that is not a nationally recognized certification.
Learn more about Patient or Health Advocate Certification
Here are the programs that can help you develop your business as a private patient advocate:
The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates – Business and Marketing Bootcamps
The Alliance provides ongoing business support to private professional patient advocates such as insurance, legal, marketing, business tools, networking and more.
APHA Academy
Find programs that complete your business education for establishing your own practice as an independent health or patient advocate or care manager through APHA Academy.
Assumption College (Worcester, MA) Graduate or Certificate Program
Graduate level program leads to either a masters degree or post-bachelors certificate in health advocacy. This is an online program.
NEW! Becoming a Patient Advocate
Online program offered by advocate Claudia Cometa, PharmD.
A Better Way to Learn Online courses for advocates to help them advance their skills and elevate their practices.
The Bridge Health Advocates offers online advocacy education through courses focused on advocacy and client service work, from communications, to medical considerations, to client intake and assessment.
Nurse Advocate Entrepreneur Get started with a private advocacy practice with this 3-month program from North Shore Patient Advocates intended for nurses, social workers, and others with a strong clinical background.offers online advocacy education through courses focused on advocacy and client service work, from communications, to medical considerations, to client intake and assessment.
Patient Advocacy Certificate Program
The University of Miami offers this online program that provides a wide range of training and activities ranging from communications skills, to ethics, to financing healthcare and marketing.
RN Patient Advocates
Experienced clinical RNs can participate in this learning intensive to become independent RN Patient Advocates.
UC Berkeley Extension Health Advocacy Program
This program is designed for those who may be working in health-related fields, as well as those who are interested in working in those fields. Its coursework covers a range of topics from the health insurance industry, to the continuum of options for patients, plus health policy and ethics.
Colorado Patient Navigator Training
Courses are for patient navigators, social workers, nurses and community healthcare workers who want a basic understanding of issues and practices related to patient navigation.
The Graduate Institute offers a certificate in Integrative Health Coaching and Patient Navigation working toward health coach credentialing via the ICF, integrative medicine.
Healthcare Liaison developed the first advocacy program specializing in training licensed professionals. They use video conferencing for all training. Small groups, individualized programming.
The National Institute of Whole Health offers a Patient Health Advocate Program which focuses both advocacy and the business of being a patient advocate, to be applied in all health care, medical care, patient services and private patient care environments.
NEW! PracticeUP! Online offers online business courses and more, tailored to the learning needs of private, independent health and patient advocates. Many courses are offered for free, or at discounts for members of The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates.
Professional Patient Advocate Institute from Dorland Health (a division of Decision Health) nurses, social workers, disability management specialists, patient advocates and others can earn CEUs with these courses.
Sarah Lawrence College offers the longest-standing patient advocacy degree program in the US. Graduates work in all aspects of health and patient advocacy, according to their interests.
Southern Vermont College offers a both a bachelors degree and a certificate program in Healthcare Management and Advocacy
The University of Wisconsin offers two graduate certificates, one for working professionals and non-traditional students, and a second one for its current students who are currently enrolled at UW in another major relating to advocacy.
Whatcom Community College (Washington State)
Patient Advocacy and Navigation Program This six-month course takes place in Bellingham, WA and includes field experience.