Expert Patient Programme Catalonia: a person-centered community perspective

Abstract

Introduction: We are facing a paradigm shift, evolving from a paternalistic model to a deliberative model in which the person-as a patient, relative or carer-takes a protagonist, active, dynamic and directional role, encouraging responsibility, empowerment and shared decisions. In addition, we must consider the tendency to promote a focus on the individual and their environment, which is committed to a partnership between the health and social world and comprehensive care from a population and integrated vision. This change of role implies a link between the community and health systems. In this sense, it has been implemented the Expert Patient Program Catalonia™ (EPPC), an initiative committed to taking responsibility for people with chronic health problems and to promoting self-care. The EPPC is a multidisciplinary initiative based on patient-healthcare professional collaboration and team work. In EPPC, Expert Patient (EP) leads the process and transmits knowledge about their disease to other patients who suffer from the same health problem. The healthcare professional becomes an observer, and only intervenes if it is necessary. The Expert Patient is a

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“…There is a paradigm shift in healthcare delivery from a “paternalistic model” to a more patient-centred model which encourages shared responsibility and decisions in healthcare delivery (Bujan et al , 2015) Indeed, this form of shared health service delivery, a component of an integrated care, is a fundamental principle promoted by numerous scholars (Bogner et al , 2012; Furler et al , 2014; Glurich et al , 2017; Lamster and Myers-Wright, 2017; Marchant, 2012; Marshall et al , 2013; Pope and Truong, 2018; Prestes et al , 2017a, b; Smits et al , 2019; Takhar et al , 2016).…”

“…The general conceptualisation of integration by the articles reviewed reflects a team-based approach. Specifically, terms like multidisciplinary (Bujan et al , 2015; Bick et al , 2014; Glurich et al , 2017), cross disciplinary (Glurich et al , 2017), collaborative (Furler et al , 2014; Lutfiyya et al , 2019; Marchant, 2012; Broder et al , 2014) have all been used to represent integrated care. At the conceptual level, all these categorisations represent essential characteristics of an efficient healthcare service.…”

“…Bujan et al (2015) also discusses an integrated care model dubbed “the EPPC” which involved a multidisciplinary initiative involving an Expert Patient who takes a lead role in disseminating information regarding their experiences with diseases shared with other patients. This model differs significantly from the models discussed above as the healthcare professionals in this model function as mere observers and only intervene if necessary.…”