Introducing Patient Advocacy College

“Patient advocacy” refers to activities undertaken to solve problems within policies and systems from the perspectives of patients. The people who engage in such activities are referred to as “patient advocates.” “Patient Advocacy College” is an educational program for patient advocates. (For contents, please see below.) This program was designed for beginners and was compiled using various lessons from people who have served as patient advocates on citizens’ healthcare councils as well as expertise gained from specialists from each field. In addition to patients, their family members and bereaved family members, and their supporters, who are the parties most affected, we hope this program is useful for anyone cooperating with these parties for solutions, including politicians, administrative officers, healthcare providers, and people representing private companies.

For first-time visitors

Patient advocacy has a track record of achievements in various fields like HIV control and cancer control. It has led to laws being enacted, study groups being established, countermeasures being implemented, and budgets being increased. Expectations for patient advocacy are high among the public and the media, and long-awaited discussions are beginning to emerge among politicians and Government leaders. This is because past advocates are held in high regard for responsible actions undertaken with accountability as the parties most affected; for having sufficient political knowledge for engaging in discussions with related parties; and for their record of generating policy recommendations and other insights from the perspectives of patients.
 
The Patient Advocacy College program synthesizes the lessons from those advocates for each theme. The aim of this program is to enable everyone who attends it to participate in health policy discussions, to create and implement policies for patients, communities, and real-world healthcare settings, and to feel their efforts have led to results.
 
Everyone has to start somewhere. Please start by reading our booklet and learning a little bit at a time.
 
*The booklet was based on materials created for the 2013 Commission on Citizens and Health Cancer Policy Information Center program. Please note that the booklet is available in Japanese only.