Listing Requirements for the Umbra Health Advocacy (formerly AdvoConnection) Directory
We want to list you in our Directory!
But we are very strict when it comes to doing so. Our focus is on the needs of patients and caregivers, not on the wishes of advocates who want to be listed.
(See below to learn exactly how we vet applicants.)
To be listed in the Directory, you must meet the following requirements:
1. Be a Premium APHA Member or an Umbra Associate Member in good standing.
2. Show a track record of willingness and capability to help others.
3. Have a business website that focuses on your advocacy / care management practice outside of the Umbra Health Advocacy Directory. (This requirement applies to Premium Members only, not Umbra Associate Members or other Directory-eligible Membership types)
4. Plus meet any 1 of these 3 criteria (more information about these requirements is found below.)
- professional liability or Errors and Omissions Insurance** OR
- a background check* completed during the past two years, featuring specific criteria (see below*)** OR
- be current with one or more from a list of certifications
**These are included in Umbra Associate Membership.
Important!
These requirements are ONLY for adding your listing to the Directory.
They are NOT required for a Premium membership.
If you are hoping to step up to the Directory and need help to meet the criteria listed here, a Premium membership will give you access to the information you need to do so.
Why These Requirements?
The Umbra Health Advocacy (formerly AdvoConnection) Directory is intended to first and foremost meet the needs of patients and caregivers. Even though it is also a great marketing tool for advocates, that is its secondary purpose.
We take our responsibility to showcase only professionals who are prepared and qualified to serve clients seriously. That’s why we have developed these requirements. We know that meeting these requirements does not guarantee an advocate or care manager will succeed in private practice, but it’s a great professional foundation that sets you up well.
How We Vet Applicants
Requirements / Criteria for a Listing in the Umbra Health Advocacy (formerly AdvoConnection) Directory
1
Your Track Record
This is a simple web search on your name and location to see what pops up. This is exactly what a potential client would do, so we just make sure there isn’t some glaring reason you should not be listed. If, for example, your LinkedIn listing mentions that you own a pizza shop – well – that’s not exactly the track record that will be useful to you, a patient.
We are not looking for your long-standing work as an advocate. You may have been working in a related field for a long time and be brand-new to advocacy. Or, you may have been caring for a loved one getting the kind of healthcare experience that doesn’t show up on a resume. But we want to be sure that your experience will lend itself to good client service and a knowledge of the healthcare system.
2
Your Web Presence
If you are a Premium Member, we want to see a professional web presence that speaks specifically to your advocacy or care management work. This is what a potential client will do – search for information about you to make sure that you are trustworthy and can help them.
You must have a website for your independent practice. For Premium Members, a Facebook page or a LinkedIn Profile will not be accepted. Be sure you have a good description of the work you do and the benefits potential clients will get when they work with you. Make your contact information easy to find and list or describe your location. You don’t need anything fancy, just a clear and professional online presence. This requirement does not apply to Umbra Associate Members.
3
Further, to be approved for a Directory listing you must supply ONE (1) of the following:
A
Errors & Omissions Insurance
(also called E&O)
Premium Members must have either Errors & Omissions – or – Professional Liability Insurance. (E&O coverage is included in Umbra Associate Membership.)
All advocates need E&O which will cover you for the non-medical work you do for clients.
If you hold a current clinical license (doctor, nurse, NP, PA, others) you must have Professional Liability insurance to cover you for any medical acts you may perform – even if you never perform any. A client might think you did and sue you even if their perception was wrong. (Please note that medical malpractice may not suffice for advocacy work – please check with your insurer.)
Important: General liability insurance, also called BOP insurance (Business Owner Policy) is not an acceptable form of insurance for listing in the directory.
Learn more about the need for professional insurance for your advocacy work.
Remember!
The Directory listing requirements are just that – for your directory listing only. They are not requirements for Alliance membership.
— OR —
C
A Background Check and Report
Advocates and care managers assist patients with two of the most important aspects of their lives: their health, and their money. In your work, you may delve into personal finances, or enter the homes of vulnerable patients. A clean background check may instill trust: trust that you will be fair and legal with the patients who trust you, and therefore, we (APHA) can trust you, too.
Your background check report must have been completed and dated within the past two (2) years and include ALL of the following:
- 7 or more years review for criminal records (state and federal)
- a review of any sex offender registries in your area and a statement from the checker that no offenses were found
- a review of any healthcare-related licenses you hold or have held in those 7 or more years and a statement from the checker that no sanctions were found.
A background check is included as part of the application for Umbra Associate Membership.
Learn more about background checks as they apply to health and patient advocacy.