Man undergoing hemodialysis

As  a way of cutting costs and improving outcomes,  some American healthcare institutions and individual clinicians are educating  more patients to perform self-care functions, such as dialysis. This movement has been underway for some time in Europe.

Of course, self-care challenges healthcare leaders to reconsider the balance of responsibility between clinicians and patients.

As an article in Hospitals & Health Networks notes: ”{W}hile self-care initiatives are taking off in Europe, the concept of patient-administered care is still somewhat radical in the United States, where patients and providers are accustomed to a specific power dynamic.”

“Beyond that, the fee-for-service payment system punishes providers who shift billable tasks to patients.”

Still,  “evidence is mounting that self-care initiatives support the Triple Aim — improved patient experience, improved health and reduced per capita cost of health care.”

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