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Empowered Patients

Vanessa Caceres  |  Issue: September 2024  |  September 1, 2024

Self-Management Is an Important Puzzle Piece for Patients Living with Rheumatic Disease

Rheumatology professionals know that self-management can help patients with rheumatic conditions, but self-management is not as prevalent as it could or should be. This year’s Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM), in September, will focus on patient self-management to boost aware¬ness of this important aspect of care.

This year’s theme—self-management for patients living with rheumatic conditions—“is crucial [because] it helps bridge the existing information gap on self-management,” says Bhakti Shah, MD, a rheumatologist with Crystal Run Healthcare, Middletown, N.Y., and a physician spokesperson for this year’s RDAM campaign. Dr. Shah is also a member of ACR’s Communications and Marketing Committee (CMC), which provides medical expertise on various marketing campaigns and resources.

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“The campaign seeks to equip our patients with the tools and confidence to play a more engaged role in managing their rheumatic condition, ultimately enhancing their overall treatment experience,” Dr. Shah says.

‘[Self-management] involves patients proactively understanding & learning lifestyle changes & strategies to improve their well-being.’ —Dr. Shah

Dr. Shah believes it’s important to distinguish self-management from self-care because they are not the same. “Self-management is an individual’s day-to-day management of their chronic conditions over the course of an illness. Self-care consists of those tasks performed by healthy people to prevent illness rather than manage an existing illness,” she says.

Within rheumatology, self-management includes working with a healthcare team to develop a comprehensive approach beyond just medication adherence, Dr. Shah notes.

“It involves patients proactively understanding and learning lifestyle changes and strategies to improve their well-being,” she says.

In her own practice, Dr. Shah has observed patients seeking support by joining various groups on social media and having a strong desire to improve their symptoms solely through medical therapies. “I’d like to encourage patients to take a step back and look at their health on a grander scale,” she says.

“Our focus for RDAM this year is on empowering patients living with rheumatic conditions to take charge of their health by incorporating self-management strategies and promoting active collaboration with their rheumatology care teams,” says Mohammad A. Ursani, MD, a community practice rheumatologist in The Woodlands, Texas, and chair of the CMC. “The goal is to equip our patients with the tools and confidence to play a more active role in managing their condition and treatment.”

Using the RDAM Resources

As part of the RDAM campaign, the ACR has created a toolkit that includes a whiteboard video, a patient testimonial video, an infographic with five self-management tips and social media graphics. These resources are available online at RDAM.org.

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Filed under:ConditionsPractice Management Tagged with:patient careRDAMRheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM)self-managementSimple Tasks

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