In response to one of the most frequently asked questions I get as the director of The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates – I might be providing an answer you don’t expect.
That’s OK! Because if you don’t expect it, then you may hear it even more clearly than you otherwise would. And that can only be good.
I hear the basic questions in a number of formats:
- Do I need to get a degree or certificate to be a patient advocate? Followed by, “what degree” or “what courses do I need to take?”
- Do I need to be certified to be a patient advocate? or Do I need a license to be a patient advocate?
- I already have a degree in ______ (healthcare management, or nursing, or other system-related credentials) – so do I need to study anything else?
The answer that may surprise you is this:
You aren’t asking the right questions.
JUL