In this ever-changing world of health policy, it is essential for individuals to know how to find, understand, and use their health information. With a direct call established by Healthy People 2030, we must align globally to ensure health equity for all.
A collaborative effort, evolving from the 2023 Healthcare Advocacy Summit, has been created to answer this call. The Healthcare Navigation Project (THNP) and Programs in Occupational Therapy at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons are working toward transforming how allied health university students engage in advocating for functional health literacy.
THNP has retooled their Train the Trainer and Ambassador program concepts to focus on enhancing the health-related quality of life skills that Occupational Therapists strive for daily. This collaboration centers around one of the main pillars of Occupational Therapy’s professional ethics: Advocacy.
Through a grassroots effort, this collaboration has established a “6 degrees of separation” approach for implementation. Pursuing health equity to address changes at individual, community, university, and policy levels, we believe this model will be embraced by medical schools globally.
At this panel discussion, participants will:
1. Distinguish between the impactful differences between Healthy People 2020 and Healthy People 2030 on patients, providers, and advocates.
2. Demonstrate how Occupational Therapists can be allies to patient advocates for direct and indirect services related to health policy change.
3. Assess the engagement of university-level students in the movement for health equity changes.