The ACTIVATE study, now in its third year, has been collecting data from primary care practices, care team members, and patients at two large accountable care organizations to explore the impact of patient activation and engagement in their care. A recent publication, now online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, examines the relationship between select characteristics of these practices, patient engagement, and patient-reported outcomes of care for patients with diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease. The authors found that patients receiving care from practices with a more patient-centered culture reported fewer symptoms of depression and better physical functioning. Patients who were more highly activated to participate in their care also reported fewer depression symptoms and better physical and social functioning, highlighting the importance of patient engagement in practices’ efforts to improve outcomes of care.
March 1, 2017