Role and Opportunities for Health Education Professionals in Completing the Puzzle

Health educators have unique skills and training to play a key role in the changing healthcare environment as a result of the ACA.  This session will highlight various roles that professionally trained health educators can play within current and emerging healthcare delivery systems.  The session will emphasize the linkage of health education skills and competencies of trained and certified health education specialists to the mission, values, organization and service delivery of such new healthcare delivery systems including hospitals and clinics, accountable care organizations (ACOs), patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs), and Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs).  The distinction of health education skills and competencies compared to those of other healthcare professions will be addressed.  Opportunities for reimbursement of health education services will be discussed.  Examples of opportunities involving linkages to community health and social service organizations, conducting community health assessments, community health program and policy planning and evaluation, workforce capacity building, leadership of community-based health teams, and community organization and development will be highlighted.   Participants will be encouraged to develop a personalized action plan to engage with state and local healthcare organizations including an assessment key stakeholders and strategies for communication and education with those stakeholders.