Start of the compact further training “Auxiliary Coach”
18.03.2011 10:39
After the successful start of the three-stage further training to become an aid expert/case manager, the University of Witten/Herdecke's offer is now being supplemented by further training to become an aid coach. This is aimed specifically at employees from homecare companies, medical supply stores and pharmacies who already have a long professional experience in the area of providing aids.
With this further training, the Department of Nursing Science at the University of Witten/Herdecke promotes the advisory skills that are particularly required in the provision of medical aids. The task of continuing to provide sick and disabled people with medical aids at a high level in an aging society and allowing them to participate in (public) life has not become any easier due to the cost pressure in the health system. The department hopes to make a contribution to better care with this interdisciplinary training.
“The training as an assistant coach aims to improve advisory skills in everyday business,” says Otto Inhester. “Customer and problem-oriented specialist advice is particularly important in the homecare sector so that the right aid is selected according to needs. Because the tool that is found with the consent and cooperation of those affected will then be used better.”
The comprehensive knowledge required for this in the consulting fields could so far only be acquired over decades of practice and even then there are often gaps. Otto Inhester: “Now a future aids coach will learn how to precisely determine the needs of a person affected and how to obtain a systematic and up-to-date, but above all a manufacturer-neutral, overview of the aids market. Not an easy task with over 30,000 products.”
Another focus is better preparation of applications and cooperation with prescribing doctors and payers. Well-prepared applications and legally sound justifications shorten the processing times for the funding bodies, reduce the number of unjustified rejections and reduce the associated appeal procedures. Overall, the care process should be made more efficient for everyone involved, especially in complex cases.
Otto Inhester also sees an additional benefit for companies in the fact that “through this further training we are very likely to be able to impart the qualifications that are required as part of the expected prequalification.
The compact training lasts approx. 11 months and has a fixed start date of April 1, 2011, unlike the Aid Expert.
Through a flexible organization, the pace of learning can be controlled individually. The further training is organized as a distance learning course with on-site days. The entire course includes two stages:
Level 1 includes approximately 130 hours: The focus is on the legal basis of the provision of medical aids and the methodology of advice. Level 1 ends with an oral examination and entitles you to move on to Level 2.
Level 2 (assistance coach) includes approx. 460 hours: The focus is on knowledge of assistive devices for various medical, nursing and rehabilitative needs; Methods of knowledge management, deepening of the legal basis. Level 2 (assistance coach) ends with an exam.
With the qualification as an aids coach, participants in the compact course can be accepted into level 3 “Auxiliary Aids Expert / Case Management” of the aids expert.