Defining Patient Engagement

I was reading a blog this morning that discussed patient engagement and how the definition of patient engagement may differ between provider and patient.  The article says about patient engagement, "It is the key to patient adherence – a prerequisite to achieving better outcomes, fewer ER visits and hospitalizations and more satisfied patients." Health Care providers would probably say a patient is engaged in their health care when they do what their doctor says, take their medications as directed, maintains an active lifestyle and healthy diet.  But, as this article shared, "People can be engaged in their own health and never see a doctor, visit a hospital, or take a prescription medication."

The point is that we as health care professionals need to start looking at things like the definition of health, health goals, compliance, and outcomes from the patient’s perspective.  We need to incorporate the patient’s perspective into outcome and satisfaction measures.   Only then do we have the right to “judge” whether a person (aka patient) is engaged, activated, or empowered.   Once the health industry gets past this paternalistic, “we know better than you do” attitude then we can expect to see real change in health behavior and outcomes.

Patient engagement is the holy grail of health care

by Steve Wilkins, MPH