Shared decision making and self-management support: Tools for empowering individuals to manage their health

摘要

For years, the health care system has tried to encourage and empower people to not only participate in, but also direct, their care and treatment. Although this mindset is preferable to the paternalistic models of the past, in which people followed, sometimes unquestioningly, the decisions made by health care professionals, a shift in thinking around empowerment is not sufficient. Individuals need in-depth, specialized knowledge about their chronic conditions and other life-altering health issues before they can make informed decisions.