How to Start a Patient Advocacy Business

Patient advocates help their clients understand health care issues with insurance companies and/or medical institutes, such as, when the patient receives an inflated bill, undergoes the wrong procedure or receives permanent damage due to coding or doctor error. The advocate comes to her aid by investigating the clients assertions. Within the bounds of the law and his conscience, she works solely for his patient's benefit.

Things You'll Need

• Business plan
• Office space
• Literature

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Instructions

• 1

  Learn about it.

  Get involved in the health care field once you decide to open a patient advocacy business. You might consider volunteering at a hospital or clinic to help you understand the role of a patient and the role of a patient advocate. This will provide an insider's view of the health care industry, giving you a level of insight that isn't otherwise possible elsewhere. A college degree isn't required to become a patient advocate.

• 2

  Read the literature

  Read books on advocacy to learn how to fight for the rights of your clients. Send for booklets from other companies and use them as aids to learn more about the business.

• 3

  Choose to advocate.

  Make an informed decision to become an advocate after you're read literature and talked with others in the field. Next, assess your skills and aptitudes for this business. Find out what you have to offer patients before starting out, because this knowledge shapes your approach and forms your attitude toward advocacy. Knowing yourself and what services that you can provide gives you a sense of confidence that your client-patient will intuit.

• 4

  Investigate the business.

  Conduct preliminary research, which is still one of the prerequisites to getting your business off to a good start. Find out not only about the competition, but the best location for your company and the likelihood of its survival.

• 5

  Set business goals.

  Create a business plan. Even if you're absolutely convinced that the company will thrive without one. You need one even if outside funding isn't necessary. The business plan, above all else, helps you to make projections and forecasts. It gives your business direction and goals to strive for. Clear constructive goals are one of the driving forces of any company.

• 6

  Choose location carefully.

  Decide on a location. Locale is important whether your business is home-based or externally based. Pick a area that your clients will not hesitate to visit.

• 7

  Know what to charge.

  Market the business. Establish a fee structure that is outlined in a brochure that your clients can view. Also, create pamphlets and or newsletters that promote the company and let others know that you can help with insurance, billing, and/or an injustice encountered during the hospital visit or stay.

• 8

  Get the word out.

  Advertise in newspapers, consumer magazines, health care magazines and trades journals. These magazines are ideal for letting potential clients know that you're someone who will fight for their cause whenever the need arises.

• 9

  Create a web presence.

  Build a patient advocacy blog and invite reader comments; this helps you stay in touch with their thoughts and issues regarding health care.

• 10

  Hire a blogger.

  Hire a skilled blogger if you're too busy to maintain the site and keep the content fresh. Keep the blog updated to bring customer back to your site.