Patient empowerment has emerged as a new paradigm that can help improve medical outcomes while lowering costs of treatment. The concept seems particularly promising in the management of chronic diseases. Diabetes may provide a blueprint for implementing patient empowerment because empowering patients has been instrumental in achieving the successes we have witnessed in the management of diabetes in recent decades. Looking at the example of diabetes, this article investigates the role and contribution of patient empowerment to therapy success and derives actions that need to be taken in order to fully leverage the potential of this concept for patients, health care professionals, and health systems.
GuerciBDrouinPGrangéVBougnèresPFontainePKerlanVPassaPThivoletChVialettesBCharbonnelB, ASIA Group. Self-monitoring of blood glucose significantly improves metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: The Auto-Surveillance Intervention Active (ASIA) study. Diabetes Metab.2003; 29 (7614): 587–94.
4.
BarnettAHKrentzAJStrojekKSieradzkiJAziziFEmbongMImamogluSPerusicováJUlicianskyVWinklerG. The efficacy of self-monitoring of blood glucose in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes treated with a gliclazide modified release-based regimen. A multicentre, randomized, parallel-group, 6-month evaluation (DINAMIC 1 study). Diabetes Obes Metab.2008; 10 (12): 1239–47.
5.
MartinSSchneiderBHeinemannLLodwigVKurthHJKolbHScherbaumWA. Self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes and long-term outcome: An epidemiological cohort study. Diabetologia.2006; 49 (2): 271–8.
6.
St. John A, Davis WA, Price CP, Davis TME. The value of self-monitoring of blood glucose: A review of recent evidence. J Diabetes Complications.2010; 24 (2): 129–41.
7.
KempfKKruseJMartinS. ROSSO-in-praxi: A self-monitoring of blood glucose-structured 12-week lifestyle intervention significantly improves glucometabolic control of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Technol Ther.2010; 12 (7): 547–53.
8.
SchwedesUSieboldsMMertesG; SMBG Study Group. Meal-related structured self-monitoring of blood glucose: Effect on diabetes control in non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients. Diabetes Care.2002; 25 (11): 1928–32.
9.
KlonoffD. New evidence demonstrates that self-monitoring of blood glucose does not improve outcomes in type 2 diabetes—when this practice is not applied properly. J Diabetes Sci Technol.2008; 2 (3): 342–8.
10.
SchnellOAlawiHBattelinoTCerielloADiemPFeltonAGrzeszczakWHarnoKKemplerPSatmanIVergèsB. Consensus statement on self-monitoring of blood glucose in diabetes [in German]. Diabetes Stoffwechsel und Herz.2009; Band 18: 285–9.
11.
ParkinCGDavidsonJA. Value of self-monitoring blood glucose pattern analysis in improving diabetes outcomes. J Diabetes Sci Technol.2009; 3 (3): 500–8.
12.
PolonskyWFisherL. Accu-Chek® 360° view outcome study: Introduction, study design and first results. Paper presented at: The EASD-Congress; September 2009; Vienna. Available from: http://easd.conference2web.com/play/2009/200049.
13.
WeberCNeeserKLodwigVSchneiderB. Self-measurement of blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes: A health economic assessment. J Diabetes Sci Technol.2007; 1 (5): 676–84.
14.
TunisSLMinshallME. Self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes: Cost-effectiveness in the United States. Am J Manag Care.2008; 14 (3): 131–140.
15.
Gray A Raikou M, McGuire A, Fenn P, Stevens R, Cull C, Stratton I, Adler A, Holman R, Turner R. Cost effectiveness of an intensive blood glucose control policy in patients with type 2 diabetes: Economic analysis alongside randomized controlled trial (UKPDS 41). United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study Group. BMJ.;2000; 320 (7246): 1373–8.
16.
Clinical Guidelines Task Force. Global guideline for type 2 diabetes. International Diabetes Federation; 2005; Brussels, Belgium. Available from: http://www.idf.org/webdata/docs/IDF%20GGT2D.pdf.
17.
Consensus Conference committees. Guideline: Self-monitoring of blood glucose in non-insulin treated type 2 diabetes. International Diabetes Federation; 2009; Brussels, Belgium. Available from: http://www.idf.org/webdata/docs/SMBG_EN2.pdf.
18.
The National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions. Type 2 diabetes: National clinical guideline for management in primary and secondary care (update). Royal College of Physicians; 2008; London. Available from: http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG66diabetesfullguideline.pdf.
19.
GrahamIAtarDBorch-JohnsenKBoysenGBurellGCifkovaRDallongevilleJDe BackerGEbrahimSGjelsvikBHerrmann-LingenCHoesAHumphriesSKnaptonMPerkJ FescPrioriSGPyoralaKReinerZRuilopeLMSans-MenendezSReimerW Scholte OpWeissbergPWoodDAYarnellJZamoranoJL. Fourth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and Other Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice. European guidelines on cardiovascular disease management and prevention in clinical practice. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil.2007; 14 (Suppl 2): S1–113.
KapteinAAKlonoffDCMartinSMeyhoffMStockSJumissJBuzemanieneLZillénPA. Meeting the challenge of chronic diseases: The role of patient empowerment and self-management. Presented at: European Life Science Circle; March 2, 2010; European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium. Available from: http://jorgochatzimarkakis.org.liberale.de/sitefles/downloads/928/ELSC_Empowerment_Rec.pdf.
24.
Klonoff D Bergenstal R, Blonde L, Boren SA, Church TS, Gaffaney J, Jovanovic L, Kendall DM, Kollman C, Kovatchev BP, Leippert C, Owens DR, Polonsky WH, Reach G, Renard E, Riddell MC, Rubin RR, Schnell O, Siminiero LM, Vigersky RA, Wilson DM, Wollitzer AO. Consensus report of the coalition for clinical research-self-monitoring of blood glucose. J Diabetes Sci Technol.2008: 2 (6); 1030–53.
