Campaign "Patients Prescribe" on patient empowerment

Picture: Launch of the Patient Empowerment Campaign © Old Continent

On 20-21 May 2015, over 150 patient leaders, health professionals, NGO representatives, researchers and policy-makers gathered in Brussels to explore the role of patient empowerment in building high-quality equitable, sustainable health systems in Europe. This conference marked the official launch of our one-year campaign on this topic.

With this two-day event, we marked the official launch of a major one-year campaign on Patient Empowerment. EPF will work in concert with the health community to take the European discussions on this topic a crucial next step forward, towards concrete actions.

Speakers, both experts and patients, presented the evidence-base on patient empowerment and inspirational case studies. Participants discussed the challenges of making empowerment a reality for all patients and how it can be integrated into a future EU approach to measuring healthcare quality. Interactive workshops delved in-depth into three key aspects of empowerment: health literacy, shared decision-making, and self-management.

“Patients with chronic conditions are often referred to as the most under-used resource in the health system while patient-centred care models have demonstrated better quality of care as well as potential long-term cost-efficiencies. Too many patients are still struggling to get the support they need to become equal partners in care. To make real progress, we need to make patient empowerment a priority, starting with the development of an EU-wide strategy and action plan”, said EPF President, Anders Olauson.

#PatientsPrescribE

“Patients prescribe E5 for sustainable health systems” is the tagline of the EPF campaign to demonstrate that patients are active people who can, if supported and according to their individual capabilities and situation, make a difference for the sustainability of healthcare systems.

The outcomes of the meeting will contribute to the development of a Charter of Patient Empowerment and a multi-stakeholder Roadmap for Action to be released in November 2015.