Attitudes of healthcare professionals providing pulmonary rehabilitation toward partnership in care

OBJECTIVES: This multicenter study sought to explore attitudes of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) professionals toward self-management and which patients' competencies are considered important. BACKGROUND: Self-management in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requires a patients' active role. Whether patient-clinician partnership in care is supported by PR professionals remains unknown. METHODS: Attitudes of 75 PR professionals were assessed using an online version of the Clinician Support - Patient Activation Measure (CS-PAM) 13. RESULTS: Mean CS-PAM 13 activation score was 66.5 (11.9) points - professionals support patient's participation in the care process. However, competencies related to patient as member of a care team and patient as an independent information seeker were only extremely important for 30.7-38.7% and 9.3-17.3% of the professionals, respectively. CONCLUSION: PR professionals embrace the idea of a patients' active role in the process of COPD self-management. Nonetheless, endorsement of the patient's involvement as an independent information seeker is needed.