Patient Leader Certification Program: Frequently Asked Questions
Social Health Network's Patient Leader Certification Program will help you make your mark in the healthcare space. Created for Patient Leaders, the program can help you sharpen your message, extend your reach, avoid pitfalls, own your voice, discover your path, and so much more.
You might have questions about the Patient Leader Certification Program and how it plays a role in health leadership. Getting answers to these questions can help you better understand the program and how it can boost your credibility, increase your impact, and amplify your voice.
Program basics
How much does the program cost – is it really free?
Yes, it’s 100 percent free! Supporting online health communities is at the heart of what we do. And we’re committed to supporting Patient Leaders everywhere in making a difference. When developing the Patient Leader Certification Program, it was important for us to create a best-in-class program that was designed to set Patient Leaders up for success – and freely accessible to all.
How do I sign up?
To get started, head to the Certification Login page. You’ll be prompted to log in or create an account on our Social Health Network platform. Once you're logged in, you'll be able to access the Patient Leader Certification Program.
The course itself is hosted on a platform called Absorb. The first time you access it, you’ll be required to create an Absorb account. After that, you'll receive a welcome email with a direct link to the certification program. From there, you're all set to dive into the lessons!
Please note, we have a maximum of 200 users allowed in the program at one time. If the program is currently full, you will receive notice to be added to the waitlist.
How much time do I need to commit?
We estimate it will take 8 to 10 hours to complete the program. Because it’s on-demand, you can complete the lessons at your own pace. You have 12 months to complete the program from when you sign up.
How long will I have access?
You’ll have 12 months from your enrollment date to access the course and its content. As you go through the lessons, you’ll find a variety of downloadable resources and one-pagers available to support your learning.
We recommend downloading and saving these to your computer so you can refer back to them anytime in the future.
If you have questions after completing the course or need help accessing a document, please contact us at network@socialhealthnetwork.com — we’re happy to help!
I don’t have any experience – is this program really for me?
Absolutely! Take another look – you do have experience. Perhaps you’re a patient living with a chronic condition. Or maybe you’re a caregiver or care partner. You’ve had to navigate everything from symptoms to diagnosis. From researching treatments to managing the okay days…and not-so-okay days. You’ve learned so much along the way. Your lived experience is experience. Your insights could have a huge impact on the lives of others. And completing this program could have a huge impact on yours.
What resources are needed?
All you need is an internet connection, a computer, and a desire to make a meaningful difference. You’ll also want a place to capture your thoughts, questions, and reflections, such as a notebook or digital journal.
Do I have to take classes on an ongoing basis to keep up the certification?
Nope! This certification is a foundational program that helps lay the groundwork for you to chart your own path to advocacy. Our hope is that this is the jumping off point for you to continue your learning journey, but you will not be required to take any additional classes to maintain your certification with Health Union.
What can I do after I take the program?
Patient leadership is a wonderful journey that can take the form of many different paths. In lesson 12 we talk about 4 potential paths that you can take - community and awareness, legislative, social media, or healthcare collaboration. But truly, your future is what you make it.
Many of our Patient Leaders have gone on to be keynote speakers at pharmaceutical conferences, collaborate and contract with healthcare organizations, start their own non-profit organizations, author their own books, start their own programs, and more. Whether you’re looking to just get started and hit publish on your first blog or social media post or you’re looking to expand your non-profit organization, the foundational skills you’ll pick up in this course will help you know what your potentials are and help you network to find new opportunities.
And speaking of networking - while you’re in the program, and after, don’t forget to take advantage of one of the best parts: connecting with other Patient Leaders. We’ve seen some of the BEST collaborations come out of relationships which sparked through the Social Health Network.
Will this program certify me as a board certified Patient or Healthcare Advocate?
The Health Union Patient Leader Certification program is designed to give you a foundation in the social health space. This is meant to be a step in your journey to help identify the areas that you want to focus on within your patient leadership. This program is not intended to provide training for patient advocates who are looking for board certification or degrees to work in clinical settings, hospitals, or with insurance companies. Although, through this program you may decide this is of interest to you. If this is something you’d like to pursue we encourage you to learn more about board certified patient advocates here.
Is Health Union and/or this program accredited?
Health Union is not accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and/or U.S. Department of Education (ED). While the Patient Leader Certification program was reviewed and approved by the Society for Participatory Medicine, it is not an accredited program.
What if I’m already a successful Patient Leader, do I really need this program? Can I skip parts to complete it?
The Social Health Network is comprised of the most inspirational individuals you’ll ever meet. While there are many who are fully established Patient Leaders and are conducting amazing work, we will require anyone who wants to complete the program to do the whole thing in its entirety. Know if there are parts that you understand more than others you can review the information more quickly and get to lessons that perhaps you don’t understand as well.
To that point, do you really need this program? That is an individual question that you’ll need to answer for yourself. This course has been designed to give foundational understandings across a plethora of areas we see thousands of Patient Leaders featured on. So if you perhaps focus more on healthcare collaboration, it may be worth taking the course to understand the basics of community awareness and social media in case this can help build up your Patient Leadership.
Another unique element of the Patient Leader Certification Program is the reflection opportunities embedded throughout. Whether you are highly experienced or new to the Patient Leadership landscape, self-reflection is something we can all benefit from to help us grow.
I have brain fog and have trouble retaining information. Can I go back?
Absolutely! You’ll have full access to the course for 12 months from your enrollment date, and during that time, you can revisit any lesson you’ve already completed as often as you’d like.
We know that brain fog and memory issues can make it tough to retain information, so the course is designed with flexibility in mind. There are also plenty of downloadable resources and one-pagers throughout the course—we highly recommend saving these to your computer so you can refer back to them anytime, even after your access ends.
After the 12-month period, your access to the course will expire.
Is there an opportunity for folks to start the program together for group motivation? Some need “group learning” in order to stay motivated to complete a course/learning.
Right now, our program is asynchronous and goes at your own pace, so unless you organize with other Patient Leaders right now, we don’t have any cohorts. That said, we’re definitely open to doing mentoring and group opportunities in the future with participants of the program.
I am not U.S.-based. Can I still complete this program?
Yes, while this certification does include a brief lesson on rules & regulations pertaining to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, the main concept in this lesson is how to be a responsible Patient Leader. All of the other lessons within the program can be applied to U.S. or International advocacy efforts.
I am a caregiver and/or someone impacted by someone who lives with XYZ condition and not a patient. Can I still complete this program?
Yes, you are an essential part of what makes our communities work! We consider a Patient Leader someone leading the charge for patients - whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or industry professional. Your thoughts, opinions, experiences, hardships, and insights matter. If you are involved in advocacy, this certification program is for you!
Who created this program
Who created the content for this program?
The content of this program was created in combination with Social Health Network Patient Leaders, Health Union, and the Society for Participatory Medicine. When creating this program, we felt very strongly about tapping into the expertise of our own staff, an external third party, and the heart behind the SHN - Patient Leaders!
Through the program, you will find Patient Leaders featured in real-life applications of the information. Patient Leaders also helped with the testing of the program and the program promotional plans.
The Society for Participatory Medicine helped in the review of the curriculum and authored two of the lessons you’ll find in this course - Lesson 10, Participatory Medicine and Lesson 11 Health Equity. They also collaborated with Health Union on co-branding and marketing.
Health Union tapped into the expertise of our own staff members for content development and content review. From our community leads, to our editorial staff, UX creative directors and more we poured our hearts and souls into this program.
Who is the Society of Participatory Medicine?
The Society of Participatory Medicine is a nonprofit organization that promotes the practice of participatory medicine to foster provider/patient engagement, patient empowerment, and education. To learn more about this organization, click here.
What is the Social Health Network?
We’re bridging the gap between healthcare and patients. The Social Health Network (SHN) is a community for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals with the goal of bringing empathy, support, and humanity to the healthcare industry. The Social Health Network offers free online resources, panels, networking events, and paid opportunities to amplify your voice as a Patient Leader.
Who is Health Union?
Health Union is the proven industry leader driving and amplifying social health. As the premier social health company, only Health Union encourages the dynamic, real-time action people take to find meaningful connections and share information that impact their health journey. Currently, Health Union has 53 (and counting!) online health communities that provide information, connection, and support to patients and caregivers around the world.
Assistance with the program
What if I need support or have questions along the way?
If you run into issues with the program, please reach out to our team at network@socialhealthnetwork.com. Please be as detailed as you can be with what you’re experiencing, what lesson you’re on, and if applicable screen shots. This will help us triage the issue the best we can!
To reset your Social Health Network account and reset your password, please click here.
I started the program, but now I don’t know what to do? How do I navigate this course?
Great question! Our certification program is hosted on a learning management system called Absorb.
Once you click the link from SocialHealthNetwork.com, you’ll be prompted to set up your Absorb account. After that, you can log in directly to Absorb anytime to continue the program. You’ll also receive an email upon enrollment with a link and login instructions—be sure to keep that handy! If you misplace it, you can always return to the Certification Login page to get back in.
When you log into Absorb, you’ll see the course on your dashboard. Just click it to get started—or use the "Resume Course" button to pick up right where you left off.
The course includes three modules:
- Powerful Storytelling
- Meaningful Engagement
- Responsible Patient Leadership
Each module contains four lessons, and you’ll need to complete one module before moving on to the next.
If you ever have questions or need help, feel free to email us at network@socialhealthnetwork.com —we’re happy to support you!
Do you have special accommodations for this program if I need them?
Our course is an entirely virtual program, but we’ve tried our best to make it accessible to all. As a learner of the course, you’ll have access to accessibility settings in your dashboard. For all of the videos, we’ve included video transcripts and captions. Our platform is accessible by a screen reader. If you’re in need of anything else, please reach out to our team and we can see if these accommodations can be made.
Is it possible to speed up videos? Some individuals learn well by speeding up content 2x.
While going through the content, you will have the ability to speed up the videos if you’d like to. The platform that we use allows for this ability.
Certificate & media kit
How will I get my certificate?
Once you complete the program you will be able to download your certificate right away. Make sure to print it out and proudly display it so others can see your accomplishment!
How do I add the certification to my resume?
We recommended adding a “certification” section to your resume to highlight your achievement. Please reference as follows:
- Certification: Certification in Patient Leadership
Institution: Health Union
Issue Date: Month, Year
How do I add the certification to my LinkedIn profile?
Adding the Patient Leader Certification Program to your LinkedIn profile is a great way to let others know about your accomplishment. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile and click on “Add profile section” (located in the main section under your photo)
- Click “Recommended”
- Click “Add licenses & certifications”
- Fill out the name, issuing organization, and issue date as follows:
Name: Certification in Patient Leadership
Issuing organization: Health Union
Issue date: Month, Year