Implementing the Stanford model with a partnering approach.
Careum, a private independent Swiss Foundation has been working with British and Danish organisations on implementing the Stanford model in Switzerland and German speaking countries.
Careum’s main reason for working with the Stanford model is the main principle of peers as course leaders, and thus, emphasising a new role of ‘patients’ in health and social care.
And most importantly, patients and their families and partner organisations are always involved in the process and provide valuable feedback, which facilitates the implementation.
A core emphasis has been on networking and collaborating with national, as well as international partners in order to translate, adapt, and successfully implement the Stanford approach in Switzerland, as well as in Austria and Germany- here it is known as the course programme Evivo- Gesud und aktiv mit Krankheit leben. Later in 2012, a French version was also available.
Early findings from the first Evivo courses in Switzerland and Austria suggest that the Stanford model is working in these countries, and the experience of both participants and providers mirrors those described in other countries.
Early feedback underlines the impact of the programme on motivation, self efficacy, life style change, decision making and action planning.
Of particular value for Evivo’s implementation is the partnering approach based on Careum’s principle of an ongoing dialogue with various stakeholders in the health care system. Implementing Evivo not only includes partnering with organisations that deliver courses, but also more strategic partnerships with institutions.
Careum will also develop additional programmes for people with chronic conditions based on the principle of patient engagement and partnering, especially working with ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups, and the development of an online approach for self management support for chronic illness.
With thanks to ENOPE (Patient Empowerment. Living with Chronic Disease).
Part of a series of short discussion topics on different aspects of self-management and patient empowerment written by ENOPE members for the 1st European conference on patient empowerment (ENOPE)