Descriptions
Giving patients access to educational materials, peer support sessions, group classes and other resources can engage them in their care and teach them better ways to manage it, and help them stay healthy. The practice provides three examples of how it implements these tools for its patients.
- Educational programs and resources may include information about a medical condition or about the patient's role in managing the condition. Resources include brochures, handout materials, videos, website links and pamphlets, as well as community resources (e.g., programs, support groups).
- Self-management tools enable patients to collect health information at home that can be discussed with the clinician. patients can track their progress and adjust the treatment or their behavior, if necessary. Such as a practice gives its hypertensive patients a method of documenting daily blood pressure readings.
The practice provides or shares available health education classes, which may include alternative approaches such as peer-led discussion groups or shared medical appointments (i.e., multiple patients meet in a group setting for follow-up or routine care). These types of appointments may offer access to a multidisciplinary care team and facilitate patients to interact with and learn from each other.