Self management for chronic disease. An introduction

Improving the quality of health care for those with chronic diseases, largely consequent to an increasingly ageing population, is the emerging challenge for health care. One approach to enhancing management of chronic disease is the expansion of patient self management.

This article discusses the importance of self care as a means of improving health outcomes for patients with chronic disease.

The optimum management of persons with chronic disease is facilitated by an effective primary health care system. The Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) package initiated by the Federal Government and designed to assist people with chronic illnesses and complex care needs, recognises the importance of appropriate self management interventions. 'Sharing health care' is part of the EPC package that encompasses self management initiatives and is central to the program as an acknowledgment that the patient is responsible for managing some aspect of their illness.