Helping patients gain control over their own lives and increase their capacity to act on issues that they themselves define as important. Aspects of empowerment include self-efficacy, self-awareness, confidence, coping skills, and health literacy.
- Engaging Patients in Patient safety- A Canadian Guideline: Glossary of terms: https://www.healthcareexcellence.ca/en/resources/engaging-patients-in-patient-safety-a-canadian-guide/glossary-of-terms/
To go in depth
A key element of patient-centered health care
This article explains how patient empowerment could be defined in multiple ways depending on the context and objectives. Aspects of empowerment include health literacy, shared decision-making, and self-management are also explored.
- European Patient Forum (EPF). What is patient empowerment? https://www.eu-patient.eu/policy/Policy/patient-empowerment/
A toolkit on patient empowerment
The European Patient Forum (EPF) conducted a one-year campaign on patient empowerment, to promote understanding of what this term means from the patient perspective among political decision-makers and health stakeholders. As part of the campaign deliverables, EFP developed a toolkit on patient empowerment for patient organizations.
- European Patient Forum. EPF Toolkit on Patient Empowerment for Patient Organisations 2017: https://www.eu-patient.eu/globalassets/library/publications/patient-empowerment—toolkit.pdf
