AOPA/IIOP Business Certificate in O&P Business Management

AOPA/IIOP’s Business Certificate Program

The first semester (Fall semester) will begin on Monday, August 24. We will be holding a Virtual Open House on Monday, August 10, where you can get all your questions answered as well as get ready for the Fall semester! Register for the Virtual Open House.

This comprehensive certificate program offers a series of business and management courses targeted to business owners, managers, admin, practitioners of O&P patient care facilities, and O&P manufacturers and distributors. Participants will explore key opportunities and challenges in O&P and gain practical knowledge to strengthen their business acumen. All content is tailored specifically to O&P. 

The core courses and electives are built around four pillars to help strengthen your O&P business management skills: Healthcare Operations; Healthcare Management; Finance; and Sales and Marketing. Courses are delivered through asynchronous online learning platforms, offering flexibility for busy O&P professionals. 

IIOP CORE COURSES

IIOP’s core courses will feature four core courses, one in each of the pillars.

Finance: Participants will build financial literacy for O&P professionals by connecting clinical and operational decisions to financial outcomes. Participants will gain a practical understanding of revenue, costs, reimbursement, and financial risk in a healthcare environment. The course moves from basic financial concepts to advanced topics such as budgeting, margin management, and long-term financial sustainability, empowering participants to make informed decisions that support both patient care and organizational stability.

Management: Participants will focus on the management and leadership skills required to effectively lead teams in O&P settings. Participants will explore how organizational structure, communication, performance management, and culture influence both staff engagement and patient care. The course progresses from foundational management concepts to advanced leadership strategies, including change management and succession planning, preparing participants to lead in complex healthcare environments.

Operations: Participants will receive a comprehensive overview of how O&P practices operate day to day. Participants will learn how clinical workflows, documentation, inventory management, and technology systems interact to affect efficiency, compliance, cost, and patient outcomes. The course progresses from foundational operational concepts to advanced performance management and optimization strategies, enabling participants to understand and improve the operational health of their organization.

Sales and Marketing: Participants will examine sales and marketing through the lens of ethics, compliance, and patient-centered care in O&P. Participants will learn how referral relationships, patient experience, branding, and marketing channels contribute to sustainable growth. The course emphasizes education-based outreach and long-term relationship building rather than transactional sales tactics, providing participants with practical tools to responsibly grow access to care.

Please note that IIOP core courses are on a rolling schedule. The date you join will determine the course you start on; to successfully move on to the next IIOP course, you will need to successfully complete all the modules and the final assessment by the end of the date listed on the schedule for that course.

The format for the core courses is fully online through the Canvas online learning platform with self-guided instructional materials with knowledge check exams as well as introductory and recap videos. There will be guest speakers and participation assignments as well.

The core courses take place online over a 16-week semester. Each course for enrollment can be completed in a 25-day period (or four weeks) before moving to the next course. Each course must be completed in sequence of Finance—> Management—>  Operations—>  Sales & Marketing. You can use multiple semesters to complete the sequence if needed. Each course is estimated to take 20 hours to complete. Successful graduates must take one core course from each pillar and successfully complete the assessment at the end with an 80% or higher.

Core course cost:

• AOPA member: $200 per course — Members should email onlineeducation@aopanet.org to receive their discount code to access the $200 discounted price.

Please note, you must enroll in the core courses you plan to take by August 24 to take part in the Fall semester.

REQUIRED AOPA ELECTIVES:

AOPA Members must complete 4 AOPA elective courses, one from each pillar below, within two years to complete the elective portion of the Certificate.

You can customize your experience by choosing from a diverse selection of electives designed specifically for O&P professionals. Developed by experts, these elective courses provide practical strategies and real-world insights to help you strengthen every aspect of your business.

Electives are also organized under the four pillars:

• Finance – Build financial confidence through courses on budgeting, revenue cycle management, succession planning, and business valuation.

• Healthcare Management – Navigate payer enrollment and credentialing, strengthen collaboration between clinical and business teams, and develop strategies to improve staff retention and organizational performance.

• Healthcare Operations – Explore best practices in coding and compliance, cybersecurity, HIPAA, risk management, and operational excellence to protect and grow your practice.

• Sales and Marketing – Learn how to successfully launch new services, build your brand, strengthen referral relationships, improve public speaking, and develop marketing strategies that drive sustainable growth.

Whether you’re an owner, manager, clinician, or emerging leader, these electives allow you to tailor your learning experience to your professional goals while gaining practical tools you can immediately apply in your organization.

View the complete list of Business Certificate Program electives and course descriptions.

AOPA’s elective courses feature 60–90-minute videos on various O&P topics with a final assessment at the end. AOPA is offering more electives than ever before with 13 electives.  Successful course completion requires going through the full course module and passing the assessment at the end with an 80% or higher within the semester.

Elective course cost:

• AOPA member: FREE (except for the Coding and Billing Seminar)

Certificate Costs:

Member pricing: Entire certificate: $800

• IIOP Core Courses: $200 each

• AOPA Electives: FREE (excluding the Coding & Billing Seminar)

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST COMPLETE THE CERTIFCATE WITHIN 2 YEARS OF ENROLLMENT. REFUNDS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO FAILS TO COMPLETE CERTIFICATE IN TIME.