What is the most important contribution a patient can make to their own health?

This means gaining the best possible understanding of their condition and treatment, asking questions, openly discussing their personal goals and concerns, and recognising and reporting any changes as soon as they occur. On this basis, patients can make informed decisions in collaboration with healthcare professionals and consistently implement the agreed measures in their daily lives. 

A multicentre, randomised clinical trial involving 592 socially disadvantaged adults with chronic conditions demonstrates just how effective such an active role can be. Participants received either standard care or, in addition, six months of personalised support provided by specially trained community health workers. The focus was not solely on medical prescriptions, but also on the patients’ personal health goals and the practical barriers that made it difficult to put these into practice in daily life. 

Whilst self-assessments of health status did not differ significantly between the groups, the group receiving support was more likely to rate the care provided by their GP as high quality and spent fewer days in hospital subsequently. 

This study clearly shows that empowerment is particularly effective when people are not only informed but also supported in translating their knowledge into concrete, relevant and realistic actions. 

After all, good health is not built solely in the doctor’s surgery or in hospital, but above all between appointments. Those who are aware of their own capabilities, take warning signs seriously and take an active role not only strengthen their own self-management but also make a significant contribution to the safety and effectiveness of their treatment. 

Empowerment must not, however, mean that responsibility for health rests solely with patients. It is a shared task: the healthcare system must provide comprehensible and reliable information, make accessible points of contact available and enable genuine participation. Only then can medical knowledge be translated into effective action in everyday life. 

João Magalhães, Doctor of Medicine, holder of a Master’s degree in Science and a Master’s degree in Public Health 

Regional Medical Director for Integrated Care 

Zurich, St Gallen and Schaffhausen region