PROMs and patient education

Abstract

Patient education is a core activity in the management of inflammatory arthritic conditions. However, it may be challenging to decide which educational approach is most appropriate to fit with the individual patient’s needs. This is in parallel with the new trend of empowering patients, providing them with the environment to develop the skills, confidence, and knowledge to move from being a passive recipient of care to an active partner in their own healthcare. The scope of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) has gone beyond disease activity assessment and moved toward a dynamic role in the evaluation of the impact of the disease on the patients’ lives and their educational needs to enable them to cope with their illness. This chapter discusses how PROMs can help to deliver an educational program tailored to the patient’s needs, assessing its outcomes as well as identifying new targets to facilitate patients’ empowerment.