The steering committee has been hard at work for many months developing several aspects of what will become the patient advocacy credential. Here are some of the decisions we have made:
Naming
The name of the body that will provide and support the credential (replacing the term “steering committee” which we have been using) will be the Patient Advocate Certification Board. This group will be incorporated within the next few months. The name of the designation to be used by those who earn it will be Board Certified Patient Advocate. Anyone who meets the criteria for receiving it (still to be determined, but will include at a minimum certain qualifications, and the passing of a test) will use the initials BCPA after their name to show they have earned the credential. (example: Joan R. Advocate, BCPA) Important to note: the credential is being developed for all those who consider themselves to be professional advocates, whether they work in an institution, for a corporation, or in private practice. Further, the credential will be available internationally to any advocate who wishes to earn the designation “BCPA”.
For Your Review
In addition, we have developed two documents for which we invite your review and comments.
- Review the Ethical Standards and Best Practices document, then comment on it here.
- Review the Competencies document, then comment on it here.
We invite your comments through July 10, 2015. We will review all input and will give serious consideration to your views although we make no commitment to changing the existing documents. Thank you for your interest. Members of the (newly renamed) PACB, Patient Advocate Certification Board If you wish to stay up-to-date on progress of this health and patient advocacy credential development, please subscribe to receive updates (at right.) Large group emails are no longer being sent.