The Institute of Medicine frames healthcare quality as being patient-centered, timely, efficient, effective, safe, and equitable. Patient advocacy is a central organizing vehicle for negotiating patient navigation and systemic improvements in healthcare organizations and across health care systems. This course will advance the place and role of patient advocacy in the United States health care system with an emphasis on specific tasks, skills and actions. The advocacy focus for/with consumers will attend to protecting the ethical rights of patients, improving patient quality of life, developing cultural competence in health care, promotion of disease prevention and health literacy, assistance with financing health care, integrating behavioral health services with primary care, and improving access to community-based care. Policy advocacy in healthcare, community and government settings will also be introduced.
Semester Offered
Fall