Conference, Past Events

ICOPA – International Conference on Patient Advocacy (2022) – Pivoting Your Practice in a Changing Healthcare World

APRIL 28-30, 2022 – 

ICOPA 2022 Agenda

State of the Industry – Representatives from 7 Advocacy Organizations | Moderated by Anne Llewellyn

The Other Pandemic: Dementia (and How to Protect Vulnerable Adults) | Kerry Peck, Teri Dreher

Health Confidence: A Novel Approach to Patient Education | Colleen Morley

Legislation and Advocacy | Michelle Riddle

The Cannabis Elephant in the Room: Who’s Using and Why | Rebecca Abraham, Richard Niksic

Conquer Your Business: Be in Charge, Take Action, Get Results | Erin Marcus

Taking Your Practice from Good to Great: Understanding the Nuances of Effective Interaction with Hospitals, Insurers, and Their Employees | Lisa Berry Blackstock

Complex Patient Advocacy Case: Client with a New Traumatic Brain Injury | Melissa Cardine, Jennifer Whalen

The Future’s So Bright, We Need to Wear Shades | Trisha Torrey

The Advocate’s Role in Healthcare: The Employer’s View | Colleen Murphy

From the PACB: Job Task Analysis Study: Results / Reflections and Insight into the Future | Danielle Marshall, Malynnda Johnson

Interorganizational Collaboration: Better Together | Carey Kempton, Lea Christo, Beth Droppert, Danielle Marshall, Rachel Westlake

State of the Industry – Representatives from 7 Advocacy Organizations

 

This session will look at the State of the Practice of Patient/Health Advocacy from the leaders of the various patient advocate organizations. The leaders will discuss how COVID has impacted the practice and the trends they see going forward. Please bring your questions and experiences as the audience will have time to share as part of the session.

Session Objectives:

  1. Share 2 changes professional organizations have learned during a global pandemic.
  2. Discuss how the role of patient/health advocates has changed because of COVID 19.
  3. List that 2 major learning points from the pandemic that will change how we all practice.

Materials: 

  • Presentation Slides

 

The Other Pandemic: Dementia (and How to Protect Vulnerable Adults)

Dementia influences those who are affected and the family members who very often care for their relatives at home. Friends and relatives who provide non- professional and un-paid care to help a person, usually with long-term needs are defined as “informal carers”. In 2019, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), informal caregivers worldwide spent over 89 billion hours assisting a family member with dementia in basic personal activities of daily living, with women contributing to 70% of global hours of care. This session will look at the impact of Dementia on healthcare costs as well as personal costs to the family and how advocates can help protect vulnerable adults.

Session Objectives:

  1. Advocates will understand the growing challenge of caring for seniors who are aging alone with cognitive impairment.
  2. Learn how to recognize signs of exploitation/abuse and how to appropriately intervene on seniors’ behalf to prevent harm.
  3. Gain access to community resources, legal steps and when to engage with a guardianship/elder law attorney.

Materials: 

 

Health Confidence: A Novel Approach to Patient Education 

This presentation will demonstrate the importance of patient engagement/activation and discuss strategies used by a healthcare facility to empower patients and their caregivers in self-management of chronic conditions.

Session Objectives:

  1. Review the needs assessment completed to identify the gaps in patient education from the patient’s perspective.
  2. Describe the journey to developing the program and roles and functions of all the team members involved in the interactive patient education experience.
  3. Demonstrate through sharing actual case studies how the team manages the collaboration and includes all members of the inter-professional team including the patients and their families, to address educational gaps and increase patient health confidence in managing their chronic conditions independently post discharge; contributing to decrease in utilization, readmissions and length of stay.

Materials: 

  • Presentation Slides

 

Legislation and Advocacy

This session will look at patient protection legislation the exists in all states and what federal laws assist to protect patients’ rights. This session will expand an advocate’s knowledge in patient options and securities by utilizing state and federal laws that may make an incredible impact on a patient’s overall outcome. Knowledge is key when building an advocacy business. Therefore, the more knowledge and guidance advocates have the more likely they will have a successful practice.

Session Objectives:

  1. Identify how state and federal laws can assist in Advocacy.
  2. Explain the process in which to utilize the laws when advocating.
  3. Discuss how to introduce legislation to your state. Who to speak to, who to have on your side and what to expect.

Materials: 

 

The Cannabis Elephant in the Room: Who’s Using and Why 

 Patient Advocates and Healthcare Professionals need to know that those we serve are using Medical Cannabis, and do not divulge. Too little education is presented about cannabis: medical efficacy, appropriateness, benefits, and contraindications. Many front-line healthcare workers are unprepared to assist their clients regarding cannabis, its effects and drug interactions. In this session we will look at how medical cannabis is being use today in various healthcare settings.

Session Objectives:

  1. Define the Endocannabinoid System within the human body.
  2. Is cannabis safe?
  3. What conditions qualify for medical cannabis cards in many states.
  4. Cannabis use in facilities/home health.
  5. Caregiver Laws and Cannabis safety.

Materials: 

 

Conquer Your Business: Be in Charge, Take Action, Get Results

In less than two years Erin went from referring to herself as the world’s #1 pinball and barely making $10,000, to making multiple six figures in her business and having fun doing it. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your next big step forward, this talk is all about what you need to do to Conquer Your Business.

Session Objectives:

  1. Learn how to take action when you did not think it was possible.
  2. List 3 goals that spell your success.
  3. Describe your work/life balance.

Materials: 

  • Presentation Slides

 

Taking Your Practice from Good to Great: Understanding the Nuances of Effective Interaction with Hospitals, Insurers, and Their Employees 

Successful patient advocates understand their value lies in practicing in dual arenas. Feeling confident professionally and personally in the services we offer, as well as managing our most precious resource of time, determines how effective and in-demand our services will be. Knowing how to leverage your time and methods of outreach to hospitals, insurers, and their employees directly impacts an advocate’s efficacy and desire to be retained. Grasping effective methods of interaction with forces who hold their bottom line as their top priority (and not those they serve) will not only help advocates achieve higher success rates in less time but open up more time allowing them to service more clients and improve their bottom line while performing noble work.

Session Objectives:

  1. Educate patient advocates where decision making power lies within our healthcare system.
  2. Gain tips on developing effective techniques to reach these power agents.
  3. Expand your ability to serve your clients more effectively, grow your practice.

Materials: 

 

Complex Patient Advocacy Case: Client with a New Traumatic Brian Injury 

The Bridge Health Advocates will present a complex case scenario of a client who experienced a new traumatic brain injury because of being hit by a car. This case will show you how an experienced patient advocate uses the advocacy process to work a complex case with adaptability, tenacity and grace. The advocate supports the family and client as they experience a sudden, life-changing situation with insurance denials, multiple specialists, several transitions of care as well as preparations for legal action. They will discuss what could have been done differently and how advocates can review their own cases for improving their processes and services.

Session Objectives:

  1. Discover the intricacies and complexities of a patient advocacy case.
  2. Identify ways for advocates to assist clients and families with complex needs.
  3. Recognize the need for case review to improve advocacy services.
  4. List ways in which advocates can support families going through sudden and dramatic change.

Materials: 

  • Presentation Slides

 

From the PACB: Job Task Analysis Study: Results / Reflections and Insight into the Future 

The leadership of the Patient Advocate Certification Board will update the audience with the results of the 2021 Job Task Analysis they did and the impact on the industry and the national certification.

Session Objectives:

  1. Explain the survey result and the impact on future certification examinations.
  2. State the impact of the findings on the patient advocate workforce.
  3. Describe how the PACB will use the results to help educators with building courses to educate the workforce.

Materials: 

  • Presentation Slides

 

Interorganizational Collaboration: Better Together

The National Association of Healthcare Advocacy, the Patient Advocate Certification Board and HealthAdvocateX worked on an update to the Code of Ethics that Patient / Health Advocates must abide. This panel will share the updates and how the Code of Ethics impact the practice and those working in the practice.

Session Objectives:

  1. Explain the Code of Ethics Statement and why it is important for the industry as a whole.
  2. Explain the Code of Ethic statement and the importance to patient/caregivers.
  3. Discuss the ramification of a violation to the Code of Ethics Statement for a patient/health advocate

Materials: 

  • Presentation Slides
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