Patient Education and Counseling
Volume 78, Issue 3 , Pages 350-356, March 2010

From patient education to patient engagement: Implications for the field of patient education

  • Jessie Gruman

      Affiliations

    • Center for Advancing Health, Washington, DC, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Center for Advancing Health, 2000 Florida Avenue NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20009-1231, USA. Tel.: +1 202 387 2829; fax: +1 202 387 2857.
    • ,
  • Margaret Holmes Rovner

      Affiliations

    • Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
    • ,
  • Molly E. French

      Affiliations

    • Potomac Health Consulting, Arlington, VA, USA
    • ,
  • Dorothy Jeffress

      Affiliations

    • Center for Advancing Health, Washington, DC, USA
    • ,
  • Shoshanna Sofaer

      Affiliations

    • Baruch College, City University of New York, New York City, NY, USA
    • ,
  • Dale Shaller

      Affiliations

    • Shaller Consulting, Stillwater, MN, USA
    • ,
  • Denis J. Prager

      Affiliations

    • Strategic Consulting Services, Clyde Park, MT, USA

Received 1 April 2009; received in revised form 2 February 2010; accepted 3 February 2010. published online 04 March 2010.

Abstract 

Objective

Advances in health care require that individuals participate knowledgeably and actively in their health care to realize its full benefit. Implications of these changes for the behavior of individuals and for the practice of patient education are described.

Methods

An “engagement behavior framework” (EBF) was compiled from literature reviews and key informant interviews. To assess the focus of research and interventions on the identified engagement behaviors, the EBF was used to code scientific sessions in professional conferences relevant to patient education in the US in 2006–2007.

Results

Many specific behaviors constitute engagement. Professional conferences on patient education show only modest attention to the full range of relevant behaviors.

Conclusion

People must make informed choices about insurance and clinicians, coordinate communications among providers and manage complex treatments on their own. Not doing so risks preventable illness, suboptimal outcomes and wasted resources.

Practice Implications

Increased responsibilities of individuals, sick and well, to find and actively participate in high quality health care provides an opportunity for patient education researchers and clinicians to improve health outcomes by developing innovative strategies to support all individuals to effectively participate in their care to the extent possible.

Keywords: Patient engagement, Patient participation, Patient activation, Self-management, Consumer roles in health care

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PII: S0738-3991(10)00027-3

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2010.02.002

Patient Education and Counseling
Volume 78, Issue 3 , Pages 350-356, March 2010

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