Book
The Health Advocate’s Start and Grow Your Own Practice Handbook
(A Step-by-Step Guide)
Resources Supplement and
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Updated January 2023
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• Resources by Chapter
Introduction | ||
|---|---|---|
| List of companies hiring advocates and subcontrators | http://bit.ly/advocatejobs |
Chapter Two
What Skills Do You Need?
To help you understand the healthcare system in the US:
You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes (How to Fix Them to Get the Healthcare You Deserve)The book’s website: www.YouBetYourLifeBooks.com
Or purchase at Amazon:
You Bet Your Life!
The Health Advocate’s Basic Marketing Handbook This book’s website.
The Health Advocate’s Advanced Marketing Handbook This book’s website.
Chapter Four
What Services Will You Offer?
Master list of current advocacy services being offered to patients and caregivers. This list is updated occasionally. https://diagknowsismedia.com/downloads/masterserviceslist.pdf
Market Research—more information
and links to resources:Quickfacts from the US Census Bureau: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sis/resources/data-tools/quickfacts.html
From Entrepreneur Magazine: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/217345
From Inc.com: https://www.inc.com/guides/marketing/24018.html
From the Canada Business Network: https://guides.lib.uwo.ca/marketresearch/demographics
From the SBA (Small Business Administration)
https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/market-research-competitive-analysis
Chapter Five
Mind the Gap
Education, Organization and Networking Resources for Health Advocates and
those who wish to become advocates:www.HealthAdvocatePrograms.com
Virtual assistants provide administrative help on a full or part-time basis. How to Hire a Virtual Assistant
Find lists of virtual assistants:
www.assistantmatch.com/
www.speakernetnews.com/post/vawebmaint.html
Chapter Six Email: Fax services: Toll free number and voice mail services:
The Business of Being in Business
Small business advisors can be found at: US
SBA (Small Business Administration)
SCORE (Service Corps Retired Executives)
SBDC (Small Business Development)
Canada
Canada Business Support
Corporation (incorporate) service www.corpnet.com
List of licenses you may need: https://www.sba.gov/starting-business/business-licenses-permits
Places to test your URL (web address) as you name your business: www.godaddy.com
www.register.com
www.networksolutions.com
Obtain your taxpayer ID (EIN): From the IRS: https://sa.www4.irs.gov/modiein/individual/index.jsp
From the CRA: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/registering-your-business/business-registration-online-overview.html
Employee vs. Subcontractor rules: From the IRS: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/independent-contractor-self-employed-or-employee
From the CRA: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/rc4110/employee-self-employed.html
NAICs numbers These codes are updated every five years (will update again in 2027) and are self-selected. (There is no right or wrong answer.)
There is not just one code for patient advocacy because advocates do so many different things. Here are some of the codes advocates might choose:
• A general practice could use the code: 624190
• A senior-focused practice (“elderly”) could use this code: 624120
• A pediatric-focused practice could use this code: 624110
Learn more at the NAICs website.
DUNS number (if you decide to apply for grants https://www.dnb.com/duns/get-a-duns.html
Online forums of interest to advocates: The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates
Additional forums at LinkedIn:
Do a search for Patient Navigator, Patient Advocates, Nurse Entrepreneurs, Society for Participatory Medicine, and others
Choose and use a professional communication service:
www.gmail.com
www.mail.com
www.outlook.com
Use your own web address for your email.
www.efax.com
www.faxzero.com
www.ringcentral.com/fax
www.evoice.com
www.google.com/voice
www.voicenation.com
www.ringcentral.com
Chapter Seven
Expenses Management and Funding
Use your website and/or smartphone to accept credit cards www.SquareUp.com
www.Paypal.com
www.PaySimple.com
Cashflow basics from
Entrepreneur Magazine:www.entrepreneur.com/article/223288
Chapter Nine
Marketing Your Advocacy Services
Find a sample press release: Download it from here.
Purchase additional marketing handbooks at a discount: Purchase The Health Advocate’s Basic Marketing Handbook from the publisher at $5 off. To receive the coupon code, send an email to: bmhdiscount@diagknowsis.com The coupon code will be returned to you immediately.
Purchase The Health Advocate’s Advanced Marketing Handbook from the publisher at $5 off. To receive the coupon code, send an email to: amhdiscount@diagknowsis.com The coupon code will be returned to you immediately.
Chapter Ten
Legal and Insurance Considerations
HIPAA and Privacy Sample HIPAA Release Form
Privacy laws in Canada (PIPEDA) Privacy Rights in Canada
Electronic signatures and privacy www.adobe.com
www.docusign.com
www.rightsignature.com
Secure email www.startmail.com
www.sendinc.com
www.hushmail.com
AppleMail can use an add on from GPG tools: www.gpgtools.org
Gmail frequently updates its offerings. Do a search for “secure gmail” to see if it’s being offered.
Thunderbird uses Enigmail (must be obtained through Mozilla.org )
Legal documents and forms (general) are found at www.LegalZoom.com (paid)
www.ZenBusiness.com (paid)
www.RocketLawyer.com
BOP insurance information www.entrepreneur.com/article/52882
Incorporation www.CorpNet.com
Chapter Eleven
Managing Workflow
Sample Invoice Download it here.
Additional forms and contracts available to members of APHA: (Not all contracts and forms are available to all members. PACE members have limited access.) Sample consultation agreement (advocate and client)
HIPAA privacy forms
Independent contractor working agreement
Independent contractor non-compete agreement
Encrypted email or document signatures See Resources above for Chapter Ten
Client tracking software and applications: MyJunna
Case Manager Pro
Jewel code
Navigation Tracker
Chapter Thirteen
Best Practices
Print these guidelines for finding credible health information on the web: https://www.nextavenue.org/4-tips-getting-most-dr-google/
Advance Directives documents http://bit.ly/advdirectives
Determining status as employee or subcontractor: See Resources above for Chapter Six
Chapter Fourteen
Build Your Business Plan
Additional resources for understanding and building business plans: From Entrepreneur Magazine:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247574
From the SBA:
https://www.sba.gov/starting-business/write-your-business-plan
….. End of Resources…..
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