Sharing results of the PRO-STEP project
A Pilot project on Promoting Self-management for Chronic Diseases in the EU
Completed in January 2018, the PRO-STEP pilot project on self-management of chronic conditions marks a major achievement for EPF to gain a deeper insight in aspects strongly related to patient empowerment.
PRO-STEP aimed at putting in place a framework for action to enhance self-care at EU level and develop strategies to support the broader implementation of effective self-care.
In practice, the project explored the added-value of self-management in chronic diseases and developed a set of key recommendations for policy makers.
The PRO-STEP results identified the need for:
- A EU-wide mission and vision on self-care and self-management;
- A strategic approach at policy level encompassing development of knowledge and skills among relevant healthcare professionals and promotion of changes in societal attitudes;
- An assessment of cost-effectiveness of self-management from a societal perspective;
- Health literacy as a policy priority;
- Investment in communication;
- Support to innovation and digital technology as enablers of improved self-care;
- Further research to fill in gaps and further strengthen the evidence-base.
Please find the final full report here.
About PRO-STEP
The project was a tender study (SANTE/2015/D2/021-SI2.722481) funded by the European Commission through the Third Health Programme. It was led by EPF and brought together organisations with a broad range of expertise in fields and backgrounds relevant for self-care in chronic disease including the Fundacion Avedis Donabedian – Avedis Donabedian Research Institute (FAD), Spain, the Danish Committee for Health Education (DCHE), Denmark, the Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus University (iMTA), the European Health Futures Forum (EHFF), United Kingdom.