How to Implement Self-Management Support in your Practice

Incorporating self-management support into the daily routine of clinical practice can be challenging, but there are many helpful programs and resources available to assist you. The resources on this page can help individual clinicians and practices learn more about self-management support strategies and principles and how they can implement them.

Some specific strategies include:

Employing new skills such as motivational interviewing and reflective listening

Self-management support is a collaboration between the clinician and the patient.¹ Motivating, listening, and coaching are important self-management support skills that can strengthen the clinician-patient interaction. Through ongoing training and practice, supporting patients and their families in self-care will become part of day to day care.²

Utilizing the practice care team and understanding how roles and responsibilities can be defined and shared

To provide effective self-management support, a team of clinicians and administrative staff needs to coordinate closely to provide care before, during, and after the patient visit. Successful teams are composed of clinical and administrative staff whose roles are assigned in advance. Roles and responsibilities include:

• Gathering clinical and patient experience data before a visit.
• Setting agendas for the visit.
• Helping patients set health goals.
• Developing action plans.
• Tracking health outcomes.
• Linking patients with community programs.

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Using tools and techniques to improve the provision of self-management support in primary care

Providing self-management support includes a portfolio of techniques and tools that help patients choose and maintain healthy behaviors. Clinicians can ease the transition of implementing a self-management support program by learning how to use tools, such as action plans, goal-setting worksheets, and problem-solving techniques to support and motivate patients.

Citations

1. Bodenheimer, T, MacGregor K, Sharifi, C. Helping Patients Manage Their Chronic Conditions. Oakland: California HealthCare Foundation; 2005. Available at: http://www.chcf.org/publications/2005/06/helping-patients-manage-their-chronic-conditions Accessed June 4, 2012.
2. Rollnick S, Butler CC, Kinnersley P, et al. Motivational interviewing. BMJ. 2010 Apr;340:c1900.