National Patient Advocate Foundation Inc

NATIONAL PATIENT ADVOCATE FOUNDATION (NPAF) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS PATIENT AND CAREGIVER VOICES TO HEALTH SYSTEM DELIVERY REFORM. NPAF DEVELOPS AND DRIVES INITIATIVES PROMOTING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE QUALITY HEALTH CARE THROUGH POLICY ACTION AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO PRIORITIZE THE PATIENT VOICE IN HEALTH SYSTEM DELIVERY REFORM TO ACHIEVE PERSON-CENTERED CARE.

NPAF'S POLICY AND FIELD ADVOCACY PROGRAM HAS CURATED A STRONG AND COMMITTED NETWORK OF SKILLED PATIENT ADVOCATES AS GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERS. OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM CREATES ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES ON KEY PERSON-CENTERED PATIENT AND CAREGIVER PRIORITIES THROUGH ISSUES BRIEFINGS, SKILLS AND RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIVE CAMPAIGNS. NPAF INVESTED CONSIDERABLE STAFF EFFORT AND ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES IN BUILDING NEW VIRTUAL ASPECTS OF THIS PROGRAM TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND THE ACTIVITIES OF OUR VOLUNTEERS NATIONWIDE WHILE FOSTERING DEEPER RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS AMONG THEM.PATIENT ACTION LEAGUE (PAL) IS A CENTRAL ELEMENT OF NPAF'S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO BOOST GRASSROOTS TRAINING AND MOBILIZATION THAT BROADENS THE REACH OF NPAF'S PERSON-CENTERED CARE AGENDA. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, PAL OFFERS A SERIES OF COMMUNITY-BASED CAMPAIGNS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND OTHER ACTION OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDRESSING PATIENT AND CAREGIVER PRIORITIES IN HEALTH CARE REFORM. CURRENT ISSUES INCLUDE INSURANCE COVERAGE ENROLLMENT (GETCOVERED), CARE PLANNING (BE A HERO. MAKE A PLAN), MEETING CAREGIVER NEEDS (CAREGIVERS COUNT), AND REINFORCING THE IMPORTANCE OF FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS NAVIGATION SERVICES (HEALTH NEEDS NAVIGATION). PAL ALSO PROVIDES "CAN WE TALK" FORUMS AND RESOURCES FOR SOCIALIZING THE CONCEPT OF PERSON-CENTERED CARE AMONG VARIOUS AUDIENCES. PAL PROGRAMS HELP EXPAND THE REACH OF VARIOUS COMMUNITY AND NATIONAL ALLIANCES AND COALITIONS DEDICATED TO PERSON-CENTERED CARE.

THE POLICY CONSORTIUM BRINGS TOGETHER A DIVERSE GROUP OF ADVOCATES, EXPERTS AND GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS TO DISCUSS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES OF THE DAY, ALONG WITH PATIENT ADVOCATE FOUNDATION CASE MANAGERS AND PATIENTS THEY'VE SERVED. NPAF CONVENES PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND SOCIOECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES, WHO HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE FEATURED ISSUE. THE POLICY CONSORTIUM IS ANCHORED BY DATA. IT FEATURES REAL, DE-IDENTIFIED PATIENT DATA FROM THE PATIENT ADVOCATE FOUNDATION, HIGHLIGHTING LIVED PATIENT EXPERIENCES AND TRENDS OVER TIME. PAST POLICY CONSORTIUMS HAVE LED TO DIRECT ACTION ON ISSUES AS DIVERSE AS WELLNESS COVERAGE, TRANSPORTATION ACCESS AND SHARED DECISION-MAKING. THERE ARE TWO MEETINGS PER YEAR AS WELL AS ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS AND MATERIALS RELATED TO THE PARTICULAR MEETING TOPICS, SUCH AS NEWSLETTERS, VIDEO CONTENT, ISSUE BRIEFS, AND PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS.

DECISION SUPPORT TOOL: FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES MUST BE REDESIGNED TO EMPOWER PATIENTS TO BE MORE ACTIVE AND ENGAGED SELF-ADVOCATES. DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS (DST - ALSO KNOWN AS DECISION AIDS) ARE INTENDED TO HELP PROVIDERS AND PATIENTS UNDERSTAND VARIOUS CARE OPTIONS AND ENGAGE MORE EFFECTIVELY IN SHARED DECISION MAKING. NPAF IS CONDUCTING AN INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION STANDARDS AND SUPPORTING RESOURCES THAT WILL SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR A NEW PERSON-CENTERED ACCREDITATION PROGRAM FOR PERSON-CENTERED DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS IN CANCER AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. NPAF IS COLLABORATING WITH STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, INCLUDING PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LEADERS IN CREATING EVIDENCE-BASED CLINICAL GUIDELINES, AND INDIVIDUAL EXPERTS IN DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS.