Webinar: Patient Advocacy and Leadership Collective – From Concept to Launch
Event Overview: On January 30th, 2024, the World Patients Alliance (WPA) organized a groundbreaking webinar titled “Capacity Building for Patient Advocacy Groups – Introducing The Patient Advocacy and Leadership Collective – From Concept to Launch." The event aimed to spread awareness and build capacities among participants regarding the newly introduced Patient Advocacy Leadership Collective (PALC), a very important resource developed to support patient advocacy organizations around the world by empowering them with knowledge and skills through offering evidence-based tools and resources that elevate their work with patient communities.
Advocacy skills are necessary for patient organizations as these allow the patients to actively participate in their healthcare, improve communication with healthcare providers, access information and resources, and contribute to positive changes in the healthcare system. The PALC is an excellent platform that is focused on supporting the growth, development, and leadership of patient advocacy organizations and offers a NextGen Leadership, Mentorship, and Global Health Fellows program. The PALC has been developed by leading global patient advocacy leaders with support from Pfizer.
Introduction and PALC Overview: Hussain Jafri, Executive Director of WPA, kicked off the event by extending a warm welcome to participants. Emma Andrews, VP Global Patient Advocacy at Pfizer, then provided a comprehensive overview of PALC. She highlighted the platform's genesis in collaboration with the Pfizer Global Patient Advocacy Board and PALC Faculty. Emma emphasized PALC's commitment to supporting organizational growth through programs like NexGen Leadership, Mentorship, and Global Health Fellows.
Navigating PALC – Live Demo: Following the overview, Ron Dimaculangan and Namrata Raval, Directors Digital at Pfizer, conducted a live demonstration on how to access PALC. Their presentation showcased the platform's user-friendly interface, ensuring participants could navigate PALC effectively to leverage its resources.
A Patient Advocate’s Perspective: Regina Kamoga, a Member of the WPA Board of Directors, shared her invaluable perspective as a patient advocate. Regina emphasized the impact of PALC in advancing patient communities and highlighted the genuine co-creation efforts involving Patient Advocacy Groups (PAGs).
Interactive Questions & Answers: Andrew Spiegel Esq., Chair of WPA, moderated an engaging session where participants had the opportunity to pose questions to the speakers. This interactive segment provided clarity on various aspects of PALC and its implementation.
Closing Remarks: In the closing segment, Andrew Spiegel Esq. expressed gratitude to the participants, speakers, and contributors for their involvement. He reiterated the importance of PALC in the landscape of patient advocacy and its role in empowering organizations globally.
Key Takeaways:
• PALC is an innovative platform designed to empower patient advocacy organizations globally with evidence-based tools and resources.
• The NexGen Leadership Program, Mentorship Program, and Fellowship Program are integral components of PALC, contributing to organizational growth and professional development.
• PALC's global reach and impact were highlighted through statistics on website registrations, Skills Finder Surveys, and Mentor Match Program participation.
• The webinar featured a demo on how to access PALC, ensuring participants could navigate and leverage the platform effectively.
• Regina Kamoga shared a valuable patient advocate's perspective, emphasizing the significance of PALC in advancing patient communities.
Next Steps:
• Registration for the Mentor Match Program is officially open, providing advocates with an opportunity to connect and learn from experienced mentors.
• Advocates interested in PALC can access the platform at PatientAdvocacy.com, with efforts underway to expand its availability to more countries.
• PALC's genuine co-creation with Patient Advocacy Groups (PAGs) was underscored, showcasing the collaborative efforts undertaken to meet the needs of the global advocacy community.
Closing Thoughts: The webinar served as an insightful and informative session, fostering a deeper understanding of PALC's role in supporting patient advocacy organizations globally. As the WPA continues its commitment to advancing patient communities, PALC stands out as a pivotal tool for capacity building, connectivity, and sustainable growth in the field of patient advocacy. We extend our gratitude to all participants, speakers, and contributors for making this event a resounding success.
For further information, please visit PALC homepage.
Agenda
Speakers
Namrata Raval Bhatt, is a Director of Corporate Affairs and Delivery Lead for Pfizer Digital. She is responsible for leading and building innovative, digital solutions for Corporate Affairs organization within Pfizer to reach and empower global audiences of patients, partners, caregivers, and Pfizer colleagues around the world. With over 17 years of experience in the digital space, she has expertise in strategizing, planning, and delivering complex digital products across a wide variety of industries. Some of her notable achievements include leading web, app, and omni-channel product engagement, market spend optimization, e-commerce solutions, automation, HIT product development, product management, and business process transformation. Namrata has been with Pfizer since 2022. One of her key accomplishments include solutioning and delivering Patient Advocacy Leadership Collective platform, which aims to empower patient advocacy organizations worldwide by providing them the tools to succeed and better support the patient communities they serve. Namrata holds a Masters in European Economics and Business from Ruhr University, Germany and is a certified Product Manager from AIPMM.
