The Division of Continuing and International Education (DCIE) offers a variety of credit courses / credit certificate programs and non-credit courses / professional certificates for students who would like to explore engaging topics through an online learning environment.
Designed for those individuals who are interested in developing new skill sets, changing careers, or advancing their current career. Non-credit courses and professional certificate programs focus on application of information in the workplace.
Download the Quick Facts Brochure (PDF)
Course Number:
HCA 100
Professor:
Price:
$4,995 (Total tuition charges for the 10 module program)
This introduction to the program will provide you with a tour of The Alfus Patient Advocacy Certificate online program, an introduction to the online learning process, and help you develop effective research strategies. You will find out how you can interact with your classmates and faculty and you will begin to develop a journal in which will log your experience throughout the program.
Given the complexity of our current healthcare system, patient advocacy is a promising career—both for now and for the future. In this course, we will examine the history of patient advocacy in the US, patient advocate paradigms, healthcare policy, challenges faced by the patient advocate.
Case studies will be used as learning tools as we develop a general perspective on patient illness, including general (acute) and chronic illness, disabilities, the experience of families, parents caring for children and children caring for aging adults.
Effective communication skills when interacting with patients, patients' family members, and other professionals are covered in this course. Interviewing patients and conflict resolution are also addressed to enhance the student's role as a professional patient advocate. Focus is on the development of a range of communication techniques and an increased understanding of individual communication styles.
This course introduces the student to the patient experience and role of the patient advocate from the pre-hospital phase through discharge and transition after hospital care. Application of presented materials to case study assignments will enable the student to critically think about hospital process, reach a level of confidence and comfort in the hospital environment, and fully appreciate the importance of inter personal communication in advocating for the patient.
The patient-doctor relationship, informed consent/assent, professional responsibilities of the patient advocate, along with confidentiality and privacy (e.g., HIPAA) are addressed. Bio-ethical principals, patient capacity to make decisions, identifying dilemmas that arise in the informed consent process, understanding surrogate decision-making, advance directives and their value, guardianships, treatment decisions involving children and adolescents are also addressed.
General attitudes towards, and patients rights regarding, end-of-life (EOL) issues, bioethical issues (e.g., autonomy), the value of an advanced directive (how to create/implement one), stages of grief, do-not-resuscitate (DNRs) orders, and the acceptance of natural death are discussed. The processes of dying (includes hospice), death, and bereavement, along with supporting the patient and the family are also addressed.
This unit will cover how patient advocates can assist with issues concerning age, financial status, financing, insurance, out of pocket expenses and resolution of financial disputes.
Patient Advocacy is a growing career with great potential. Whether you intend to work for a company or yourself, you'll learn how to build a practice in a field with increasing awareness and demand.
The capstone project requires students to read a short case study and respond, in essay format, to the question: What are the issues? Student responses integrate knowledge and skills learned and acquired throughout the program. Content areas students address are policy/law, patient/child illness perspective, conflict resolution, role as the patient advocate, ethics, payment issues, finding resources, etc.
Enrollment Requirements :
A bachelor's degree, with an interest in the healthcare field, is required. You will be required to supply an unofficial transcript of degree from a four year accredited University once your registration is confirmed. We recognize that some individuals may have ample experience in the field, but might not hold a bachelor's degree - call 305-284-4000 before enrolling if you do not hold a bachelors degree.
Online English Paralegal Program
Course Number:
CMP 386 Y - Undergraduate
CMP 586 Y - Graduate
Professor: Dr. Paul Lazarus, Professor, Motion Pictures
Course Overview:
Have you thought there’s a terrific screenplay in your head? Do you know you have the ideas but lack only the experience to get them down in screenplay form? Have you always wanted to get expert feedback that helped shape your idea into a marketable finished product?
Now all of this can be achieved online, on your time schedule. Dr. Paul Lazarus, Director of the University of Miami’s prestigious Motion Picture Program will work one-on-one to assist you in planning, outlining, and commencing your feature-length screenplay.
Winner of two national screenwriting competitions and producer of six acclaimed Hollywood films, Dr. Lazarus has guided hundreds of aspiring screenwriters during his years in Hollywood and with UM’s School of Communication. Now, he will bring his years of experience to assist you, online and in the privacy of your home. With this unprecedented opportunity: refine your idea, develop the principal characters, prepare a step outline of your plot, perfect your screenplay format, and receive extensive comments on your actual screenplay pages.
Required Software:
Final Draft 8
Required Text:
Screenwriting Workshop - Non-Credit Intermediate
Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate