Care Transitions Series: Patient Self-Management

Part I:  Understanding the Role of Patient Self-Management in Care Transitions

Providing self-management education and support to patients and caregivers is an essential part of an effective care transition intervention. People with chronic conditions and their families must undertake day-to-day activities to manage their conditions.

These activities, called self-management, involve three different kinds of tasks:

1. Care of the body and management of the condition
2. Adapting everyday activities and roles to the condition
3. Dealing with the emotions arising from having the condition

Self-management support is the care and encouragement provided to people with chronic conditions to help them:

1. Understand their central role in managing their illness
2. Make informed decisions about care
3. Engage in healthy behaviors

Without education and support for patient self-management and involvement in self-management activities by patients and their families, effective care transition interventions cannot be fully realized.  But, with increased independence and a sense of mastery over chronic conditions, the role of patient self-management in care transitions can truly transformed lives.