for immediate release
Las Vegas, Nev. / 11 Sep 2023 —
Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA) Rebeka Acosta, founder of A+J Patient Advocacy – a non profit provider of health navigation, advocacy, and education services across Southern Nevada – was named Independent Advocate of the Year at the 2023 Healthcare Advocate Summit, the premier event created by advocates for advocates involved in patient access, navigation, and reimbursement.
Advocates received recognition across four categories, with Acosta winning Independent Advocate of the Year for her work in pediatrics. In just the second year of the awards, Healthcare Advocate Summit welcomed over 500 advocates from numerous healthcare specializations to New Orleans for the annual event.
Independent patient advocates are professionals that guide and support individuals and their families through their journey in the healthcare system. BCPAs are advocates credentialed by the Patient Advocate Certification Board, who have passed the official certification exam therefore determining their ability and fitness to serve patients.
Acosta, the first BCPA in Nevada, earned her certification in September 2018 as part of just the second cohort to do so in the United States. After a decade of advocating for her own children and several years supporting other families, Acosta founded A+J Patient Advocacy in 2021.
“Having 15 years of experience in healthcare administration hardly prepared me to navigate the system when my children were born with serious medical conditions. How could the average family even begin to find their way?” said Acosta. “My patient advocacy career truly began in pediatric ICU rooms, hospital cafeterias, and support group meetings.”
As one of just two BCPAs in Nevada, Acosta is honored to be recognized while shining a light on the healthcare needs of her state’s youngest residents. “Without a free-standing children’s hospital, coupled with an extreme shortage in pediatricians and pediatric specialists, even healthy children in Nevada are facing an uphill battle in the healthcare system.”
According to the Healthcare Advocate Summit, “the Advocate of the Year is an awards initiative that recognizes the contributions being made across the field by rising stars and emerging leaders working as Healthcare Advocates.” For more on the Healthcare Advocate Summit, visit www.healthcareadvocatesummit.com.
To connect with an advocate or learn more about A+J Patient Advocacy’s services, visit www.heart4advocacy.com or call (702) 518-3801.
# # # #
