| “Self-efficacy
is the measurable capacity to organize and carry
out a course of action needed to achieve a goal.
Being diagnosed with an illness can affect a person’s
confidence in their ability to take care of themselves.
Some people even feel as though their bodies have
betrayed them. Such feelings tend to decrease a person’s
self-efficacy. Therefore, one of the aims of good
communication between healthcare consumers and healthcare
professionals should be to improve self-efficacy,
giving consumers confidence in their own abilities.
This means going beyond simply giving information,
to explore what tools and skills consumers already
have, or need to develop, to help them to achieve
their health goals.” |
-- "Making
Decisions about Tests and Treatments"
Australian Government National
Health Council, 2006 |
- Expressing your concerns and priorities, and becoming a partner with your medical team leads to better health
- The purpose of our Patient Empowerment section is to offer readers a route toward positive disease self-management
- The
Federal Affordable Care Act mandates
funding for patient decision-making
aids, to help people navigate their
options
- Empowerment means deciding how you want to approach your treatment and getting the information, building the skills and finding the care that will enable you to thrive.
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If you were diagnosed with
heart disease in the 1950’s
you would have been told slow down, take it easy and expect
to get worse. The first bypass was in 1967, the first angioplasty
in 1977, the first stents in the 1990’s. There are still
many questions to be answered, but we know a great deal
more and now have many ways of treating and managing coronary
artery disease.
But more options also bring
more decisions. Patients are no longer relegated to being
passive victims
of heart disease; patients can take action on their own
behalf. Patients are also are faced with a plethora of
confusing information and many questions: why did this
happen to me? Is low carb better than low fat? Are stents
safe? Why won’t the doctor answer my phone calls? …Where
did that nurse go with that valium, cause I could use some
stress reduction!
The goal of Angioplasty.Org
is to help you get answers to your questions and gain a sense
of
control. Experts in the psychology of health and disease
management
agree that active participation in managing your heart
disease, expressing your concerns and priorities, and
becoming a partner with your medical team leads to better
health.
Choosing Your
Disease-Management Style
“Health is soundness of
body and mind, and a healthy life is one which
seeks that soundness. Therefore, a healthy way
to live
with a chronic illness is to work at overcoming
the physical and emotional problems caused by
the disease.
The goal is to achieve the greatest possible
physical capability and pleasure from life.
"There is no way
you can avoid managing a chronic condition.
If you do nothing but suffer, this is a management
style.
If you only take medication, this is another
management style. If you choose to be a positive
self-manager
and take all the best treatments that health
care professionals have to offer along with
being proactive
in you day-to-day management, this will lead
you to living a healthy life." |
-- "Living
a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions"
Lorig,
Holman, Sobel
Stanford University Chronic
Disease Self-Management Study |
Our goal at Angioplasty.Org is
to help you get information, seek advice, make decisions
and communicate. The purpose of our Patient Empowerment
section is to offer readers a route toward positive disease
self-management.
Proven
Benefits to Being a Pro-Active Patient
| "While
it’s important to trust
the people taking care of you, it’s also crucial that you maintain your authority
and see to it that you’re treated as a whole human being and not a set of
symptoms…the
big story here is not only that assertive patients and family members get better
care from physicians, but that heart patients must be assertive to get the care
they need. It’s not enough to show up at the doctor’s office or emergency room:
that’s no guarantee you’ll be properly cared for. You must hold fast to your
independence, trust your instincts, and assert your right to be treated well-both
medically and personally. This means having the confidence to ask a physician
to explain what he or she is saying, ordering, or prescribing, and also to express
your wishes." |
-- "Thriving
with Heart Disease"
Wayne M. Soltile, Ph.D., Director
of Psychological Services
Wake Forest University
Cardiac Rehabilitation Program |
There is increasing support
within the medical community for patients making decisions
about
their treatment. In fact, the federal Affordable Care
Act mandates funding for patient decision-making aids,
to help
people navigate their options.
Every heart disease patient
is different – our arteries
are unique, our body’s response to medications
is individual, our genes are singular, and each of
us has
our own emotional and social style. The best medicine
is individualized medicine, with doctor and patient
discussing the pros and cons of each treatment, the
unique aspects
of your medical situation and carefully considering
your personality, lifestyle and preferences.
Empowerment
means
deciding how you want to approach your treatment
and getting
the information, building the skills
and finding the care that will enable you to thrive.
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