Linda J. Lipp
Senior Medical
Writer
Newton’s first
law of motion goes something like this: “An object at rest stays at rest, and
an object in motion stays in motion—unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”
So
what for the newly diagnosed, chronically ill, or disease-progressing patient?
What is a positive “unbalanced force” that can shift them out of their feelings
of powerlessness?
In
short, the answer is patient empowerment.
Empowerment
can manifest in many ways and is mostly understood as a process of change. The
path to empowerment can be complex and is quite certainly unique.
For
patients, self-empowerment can begin with the impact of a diagnosis and may be
further developed by ongoing support, educational resources, and participation
within their own healthcare management team and among peer-based support
groups.
Practical
support can help patients make decisions and regain a sense of control. Moral
support can provide encouragement and a sense of direction. Educational tools
and resources can help patients have a clearer understanding of their disease
or condition, treatment options, side-effects management, and long-term prognosis.
Lastly, participation enables engagement, which crowds out isolation and allows
for contributions and further growth.
When
you are not well, your illness can very easily become the center of your
universe. With patient education, empowerment, and involvement, patients can be
moved along the continuum from just surviving to coping better and living more
fully—even in the presence of illness.
Do your patient populations
need empowerment?
Artcraft
Health Education can help!
At
Artcraft Health Education, we craft innovative and customized educational
materials that can help empower your patients every step of the way. At the forefront of our action plans are our
CARE™ principles, which guide these materials to be:
·
Clear
·
Actionable
·
Relevant
·
Engaging
Visit
our Web site at: www.artcrafthealthed.com
today to see how we can apply our CARE™ principles to meet your patients’
educational needs and further their levels of empowerment!
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