Abstract
The Affordable Care Act continues the transformation of the health care delivery of male-focused health care services. This health care transformation focuses on the “patient” or “men” as a collaborative partner engaged in their health care decision-making processes. Engagement of men as active health care partners within an interprofessional team of health care providers is fundamental to achieving the “Triple Aim” of health care reform. The “Triple Aim” consists of providing better care to men, better health for the entire male population, and delivering men’s health care services at lower costs. All health care providers are encouraged to engage men in a distinct role as a “coproducer” of health. Men can be engaged as a “coproducer” of health through the following:
Understanding the social determinants that affect men’s health with a focus on social determinants that are under men’s volitional control
Self-diagnosing and treatment of minor health conditions
Understanding when and where to seek health care advice and treatment consistent with their presenting signs and symptoms
Selecting the appropriate health care providers for their presenting signs and symptoms
Collaborating with health care providers in the selection of appropriate preventive and treatment regimens
Monitoring their presenting symptoms and treatment effects
Exhibiting knowledge regarding safety and error prevention
Coping with chronic illness and self-managing their chronic care in collaboration with an appropriate health care provider
Providing feedback to health care providers to ensure effective, efficient health care delivery
Ensuring that health care resources are utilized appropriately and effectively
Participating in clinical research to advance the scientific information needed to improve health care services and outcomes
Assisting in the planning, governing, and evaluation of health service delivery as an active member of the health care community/team (Fulmer & Gaines, 2014)
Men, as “coproducers” of their health, will emerge as engaged partners within the health care system as patients and consumers. In summary, men, as engaged “coproducers” of their health, facilitate the achievement of policy objectives that include but are not limited to improving care processes, building health literacy, selecting treatments, strengthening self-care, ensuring safer patient care, training health care professionals, shaping the delivery of health care services and systems, and participating in the generation of research and evidence-based practice that advances men’s health care.
A central challenge of this editorial is for all health care providers to engage men in a collaborative health care partnership.