Our stories matter, they are the evidence of what works
The Health Commons/Smart Patient program
What does it take to become proactive?
The core focus of our research was to discover and measure the value, from a person’s direct experience, of what works or helps people managing their health to get to a better place than they are currently heading. With the growing incidence of disease and the reduced capacity to pay - we find that we may no longer be able to afford to get sick. So where do we start and what will it take to change the trends and set in motion a transformational pathway that will foster an environment where we can move forward as individuals, and collectively change the current trajectory of where we’re heading, globally?
Metro South Health Project
The HCC’s recent grounded research project, funded by Queensland Health in Australia, was intended to discover what conditions are required to enable a person to become proactive and adopt responsible behaviours that would support their health journey. The study enrolled 30 participants with a chronic condition who wanted to be in a better place, health-wise. The team discovered that a sense of meaning for the individual’s journey, the capacity to see the possibilities and the willingness to implement solutions that would lead to incremental change were all key drivers. In addition, the team found that the ability to predict the probability or odds of a chosen plan working for them (which was offered as part of the supporting training program) increased confidence and motivation. The study did not exclude the social context within which change occurs and many participants indicated that “dealing with the peripheral issues helps you put yourself first as a focus". All participants saw their health issues as subsidiary to any social circumstances they were battling. Solutions that eased the central “pain”were key to unlocking the journey, provided that the individual was in an environment that supported change. Begin able to look at problems through a different lens, and then see the possibilities through novel solution-sets, motivated all participants to give it a go.
“I know I’m on the right track. Because I have knowledge I won’t just go and listen or do what they say because I know what I need now. It’s been a really great journey. I can communicate with my doctor so am able to go in the right direction regarding treatment.”
Health Commons/Smart Patient Program: final report 2021
Title: To determine the increase in pro-activity in people with a wide range of medical conditions following the Health Commons/Smart Patient participatory methodology.
Aim: To discover the preconditions required for readiness to undertake a health journey; to determine the impact of change in sentiment, motivation and confidence on patient pro-activity, and to correlate any findings with increased health outcomes, and to discover what resources were of most value to the journey.
Key findings:
Percentage of people who reduced their medications: 56%
Percentage change in sentiment, the average reduction in the magnitude of impact: 53% (range 30%-90%)
Percentage change in motivation, the average increase: 42% (range 30%-90%)
Percentage change in confidence, the average increase: 50% (range 20%-80%)
