The desiderata and the reality of patient empowerment: A tale of two strategies

Objectives. Drawing on the main topics raised by the 2018 Sinergie-Sima Annual Conference, this manuscript investigates the gap between the desiderata and the reality of patient empowerment. In particular, patient empowerment is understood as a non-technological trigger stimulating a momentous change in traditional value creation model rooted in the health care service system. Methodology. A mixed qualitative approach was used. The research was basically conceived as a comparative case study, confronting the experiences of two regional sub-systems operating within the Italian National Health Service. The process of data collection primarily consisted of a content analysis, which was performed on strategy and policy documents designed by the two units of analysis in a 20 years' time-span (1997-2017). Findings. Patient empowerment is recognized as a spur to the transition toward patient-centered care. Different approaches could be undertaken to realize patient empowerment. An individual-based and a community-based approach have been identified. However, various institutional and management challenges prevent the implementation of patient empowerment. Among others, the inadequate attention paid to the empowerment of health care organizations and the loyalty of health care professionals to the traditional provider-led bio-medical model of health care are sources of both organization and individual inertia. Research limits. This paper is still in its infancy. The research findings presented in this study mainly relied on a content analysis; further developments will be aimed at enriching and deepening the data used to compare the two units of analysis. Practical implications. research findings confirm this consideration and shed light on the missing ingredients in the recipe for patient empowerment in Italy. Originality of the study. Studies in the field of patient empowerment are widely focused on the patient-provider relationship. Alternatively, to the best of the authors knowledge, limited attention has been paid to the role of health care organizations in establishing health care settings which are able to empower patients.