[Improving the complementarity of patient education proposals: Experience feedback and recommendations]

Implementing patient education (PE) in a defined geographic area, based on a population-based approach, implies using community resources according to a logic of complementarity, in order to mitigate the risk of rupture in patient care.

The PE Resource Centre for the Ile-de-France Region convened a multidisciplinary and multi-setting meeting attended by 45 participants in order to define the ways to improve the complementarity of all available PE resources, while taking into account the diversity of patients' needs. Three working groups successively explored three dimensions: structure, processes and outcomes, in order to assess this complementarity.

Each group worked on three aspects: PE resources; patient's health trajectory in a defined geographic area, and a multidisciplinary team approach.Participants identified various deficits: clustering and lack of visibility for PE resources, programme framing constraints and difficulties of access for patients. Nevertheless, they highlighted several positive elements emerging from their shared experience. They recommend: 1) sharing of the available resources by developing communication and multidisciplinary training and more flexible programme formats; 2) building links between stakeholders, by promoting local PE programmes, and by encouraging coordination and practice analysis; 3) using and articulating a diversity of evaluation approaches, while reinforcing the multidimensional nature of PE contributions, not only for patients but also for professionals and the healthcare system.

PE Resource Centres may facilitate implementation of these recommendations by supporting a collective and dynamic approach, contributing to a reduction of social inequalities in PE access.