Many patients with chronic illnesses continue to suffer because they are unwilling or unable to be actively involved in the healthcare process and take charge of their own healthcare. This is why Judith Hubbard and her team at the University of Oregon created the Patient Activation Measurement, better known as PAM.

A Modern Healthcare article discussed the possible uses for this new health tool and reviewed a study conducted by Dr. Ralph Fillingame to test its effectiveness. The study focused on targeting patients that had low PAM scores and providing extra care and support. The study results indicated this as an effective means of improving patients’ health and reducing emergency room visits by forty percent.

Many physicians realize that the diagnoses and medication is only part of the treatment. Patients must also be willing to care of themselves and carry out the changes necessary to improving their health. Studies have confirmed that patient engagement with factors such as medication adherence and healthy eating is crucial in disease management. The Modern Healthcare article pointed out that while patients see a doctor occasionally, they have to live with their chronic disease 24/7.

The Patient Activation Measure (PAM) is a ten to thirteen item survey that measures a patient’s attitude about their treatment. Patients then receive a score out of one hundred based on their responses, and are placed into one of four levels. The lower the score means the less motivated a patient is. Low PAM scores strongly correlate to poorer health outcomes, higher costs, more emergency room visits, and higher readmission rates in patients. This is in part because such patients do not understand the role they play in the healthcare process and do not seek out beneficial information.

The study clearly demonstrated how PAM can be used to improve healthcare. The physician mentioned and his team conducted an eighteen month study where they customized each patient’s care based on their PAM score. Those with a lower score received more intensive care and coaching services while those with high scores cared for themselves more independently. Patients with low PAM scores can be overwhelmed by their illness, and physicians can work with them to set up small attainable goals. As a result of this study, emergency room visits decreased significantly and patient satisfaction scores improved. Raising a PAM score by just one point decreases ER visits and improves medication adherence by two percent.

The PAM measure is a great tool that hospitals, physicians, and even insurance companies can use to improve patient healthcare. The Patient Activation Measure is able to determine which patients can care for themselves and which need more encouragement, and can therefore determine what kind of care a patient needs to remain healthy.

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