What is patient activation and how can a coordinator enhance it?

• A. Patient activation is the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage health; enhance with education, coaching, goal setting, and shared decision-making.
• B. Activation means automatically following orders without question.
• C. Activation relates to provider credentials.
• D. Activation is only about medication adherence.

Answer: (A)

Patient activation means the knowledge, skills, and confidence a person has to manage their health and navigate care. A coordinator can boost activation by providing tailored education to fill knowledge gaps, coaching to develop practical self-management skills and bolster confidence, guiding patients in setting specific, achievable goals, and facilitating shared decision-making so patients actively participate in choosing care plans that fit their preferences. This combination helps patients engage more fully in their care, which can improve adherence and health outcomes. The other ideas are narrower: activation isn’t just following orders, tied to provider credentials, or only about taking medications.