What to Know About Health Leader Compensation
Time and time again, we hear the question, “How much should I charge for my patient advocacy expertise?” It’s an ongoing and worthy debate for patient advocates in the health space.
But before you determine how much to charge for your services, ask yourself the following questions:
- What type of service are you offering? Is it a blog post? A speaking engagement? Feedback on a clinical trial’s design/protocol?
- Who (or which company) is requesting this service? Is it a pharmaceutical/biotech company, nonprofit organization, or medical school?
- How much time will you need to perform the tasks involved, including any prep work? For instance, is it a one-time or ongoing engagement?
These questions can help you understand how much time and effort is needed and what kind of compensation you should ask for. For many Health Leaders and patient advocates, their efforts to transform the healthcare landscape are their careers. Their passion translates to hard work, time, and research. If you want to devote your life to making a difference, it’s a necessity that you are paid for your time and effort.
The vital role of patient advocacy
Patient advocacy plays a critical role in the healthcare ecosystem. Health Leaders and patient advocates provide a powerful voice for patients' rights, needs, and concerns. They help patients and caregivers navigate the complex healthcare system, access care, and find the right treatment options.
Patient advocates also contribute to policy development, research, and the drive for patient-centered care. For these reasons and more, Health Leaders should be compensated for all their valuable time, effort, and hard work.
Paid Health Leader services
At the Social Health Network, we encourage Health Leaders to both ask for and accept a paycheck for their work whenever possible. Your time and expertise are valuable.
To help adjust the mindset from volunteer to career, here are some ways that Health Leaders can use their skills to promote education, spread awareness, provide resources, and elevate the needs of their community to the front lines of legislation:
- Content creation (sponsored videos, blog posts, and more)
- In-person or virtual speaking engagements
- Participating in virtual insights or marketing groups
- Patient leader advisory boards
- Podcast creation
- Podcast guest
- Product testing and review
- Surveys
The skillsets above take dedication and effort. This is not an extensive list – there are so many more social health opportunities. But we hope this can get you thinking of your skills and how you can jump in and use them in the world of patient advocacy.
How to determine what to charge
To determine how much to charge for your advocacy work, the National Health Council has created a fair-market value calculator. This calculator is for health advocates to help pinpoint a specific dollar amount for a certain type of work. It works by considering different factors, such as time for the project and travel expenses, and calculates a fair compensation amount. This calculator can provide evidence of your reasoning behind charging a company or organization the amount you requested.
Take our course
Ultimately, your lived experience as a patient and/or caregiver is valuable. Especially if it benefits another organization or company. Remember, your time and expertise are worthy of compensation!
Want more insights on what you should charge? Take the course and know your worth.
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