What is patient education?
Patient education programs are structured training programs for patients where particular attention is paid to ensuring that the contents of the target group has been included content. The course (usually in the course or seminar form) are of course not only by physicians but also by professionals from other health professions, such as physician assistants, nurses and health, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, psychologists. In addition, members of self-help groups can be among the speakers at the training. In the field of psychiatry and psychotherapy patient and family psychoeducation training are called.
Patient education are not only used for chronic diseases, but also to help people overcome foreseeable problems (eg dealing with pain associated with surgery).
Goals
Patient education have the objective to increase the self-competence of the persons concerned. Through the mediation of knowledge and practical support life expectancy and quality of life can often be increased in chronic diseases.
Controversies
The targeted through patient education attainment of lifestyle changes do not depend directly on the training competence of the medical staff.
Legal status and quality criteria
The law applicable to the Statutory Health Insurance (Social Code Book V) (Supplementary services for rehabilitation) regulated in § 43 that patient education can be funded under certain conditions by health insurance. Patient education for children and adolescents with asthma and diabetes are offered nationwide via the respective Disease management. Training for eczema are financed by framework contracts with health insurance. For all other patients, training of Paediatrics are currently no reliable financing concepts. In Germany there are various pediatric diseases, such as for obesity, asthma, diabetes and atopic dermatitis, working groups, have defined quality criteria for the content and implementation of patient education. These quality criteria are recognized by the relevant medical societies and by payors checked (especially health insurance).