Patient Activation Measure Tool Helps Patients Avoid Hospital Readmissions

A recent article in the Journal of Internal Medicine draws a strong link between readmission rates and the degree to which patients are activated—possessing the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage their own health post-discharge.² Co-author Judith Hibbard, DrPh, professor of health policy at the University of Oregon, is the lead inventor of the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), an eight-item tool that assigns patients to one of four levels of activation.

In a sample of 700 patients discharged from Boston Medical Center, those with the lowest levels of activation had 1.75 times the risk of 30-day readmissions, more ED visits, and greater utilization of health services, even after adjusting for severity of illness and demographics.

“Contrary to what some may assume, patients who demonstrate a lower level of activation do not fall into any specific racial, economic, or educational demographic,” Dr. Hibbard says, adding that providers should not expect to be able to reliably judge their patients’ ability to self-manage outside of the hospital. “We know that people who measure low tend to have little confidence in their ability to manage their own health. They feel overwhelmed, show poor problem-solving skills, don’t understand what professionals are telling them, and, as a result, may not pay close attention.”

Dr. Hibbard says higher activation scores reflect greater focus on personal health and the effort to monitor it—with more confidence.

The take-home message for hospitalists, she says, is to understand the importance of their patients’ activation level and to tailor interventions accordingly.

“Those with low activation may need more support,” such as post-discharge home visits instead of just a phone call. Low-activation patients should not be overwhelmed with information but should instead be given just a few prioritized key points, combined with the use of reinforcing communications techniques such as teach-back.

“Someone should sit with them and help negotiate their health behaviors,” she adds. “That’s how they get more activated. It doesn’t have to be a doctor going through these things. But just using the clinical lens to understand your patients is not enough.”

Larry Beresford is a freelance writer in Alameda, Calif.

A recent article in the Journal of Internal Medicine draws a strong link between readmission rates and the degree to which patients are activated—possessing the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage their own health post-discharge.² Co-author Judith Hibbard, DrPh, professor of health policy at the University of Oregon, is the lead inventor of the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), an eight-item tool that assigns patients to one of four levels of activation.

In a sample of 700 patients discharged from Boston Medical Center, those with the lowest levels of activation had 1.75 times the risk of 30-day readmissions, more ED visits, and greater utilization of health services, even after adjusting for severity of illness and demographics.

“Contrary to what some may assume, patients who demonstrate a lower level of activation do not fall into any specific racial, economic, or educational demographic,” Dr. Hibbard says, adding that providers should not expect to be able to reliably judge their patients’ ability to self-manage outside of the hospital. “We know that people who measure low tend to have little confidence in their ability to manage their own health. They feel overwhelmed, show poor problem-solving skills, don’t understand what professionals are telling them, and, as a result, may not pay close attention.”

Dr. Hibbard says higher activation scores reflect greater focus on personal health and the effort to monitor it—with more confidence.

The take-home message for hospitalists, she says, is to understand the importance of their patients’ activation level and to tailor interventions accordingly.

“Those with low activation may need more support,” such as post-discharge home visits instead of just a phone call. Low-activation patients should not be overwhelmed with information but should instead be given just a few prioritized key points, combined with the use of reinforcing communications techniques such as teach-back.

“Someone should sit with them and help negotiate their health behaviors,” she adds. “That’s how they get more activated. It doesn’t have to be a doctor going through these things. But just using the clinical lens to understand your patients is not enough.”

Larry Beresford is a freelance writer in Alameda, Calif.

A recent article in the Journal of Internal Medicine draws a strong link between readmission rates and the degree to which patients are activated—possessing the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage their own health post-discharge.² Co-author Judith Hibbard, DrPh, professor of health policy at the University of Oregon, is the lead inventor of the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), an eight-item tool that assigns patients to one of four levels of activation.

In a sample of 700 patients discharged from Boston Medical Center, those with the lowest levels of activation had 1.75 times the risk of 30-day readmissions, more ED visits, and greater utilization of health services, even after adjusting for severity of illness and demographics.

“Contrary to what some may assume, patients who demonstrate a lower level of activation do not fall into any specific racial, economic, or educational demographic,” Dr. Hibbard says, adding that providers should not expect to be able to reliably judge their patients’ ability to self-manage outside of the hospital. “We know that people who measure low tend to have little confidence in their ability to manage their own health. They feel overwhelmed, show poor problem-solving skills, don’t understand what professionals are telling them, and, as a result, may not pay close attention.”

Dr. Hibbard says higher activation scores reflect greater focus on personal health and the effort to monitor it—with more confidence.

The take-home message for hospitalists, she says, is to understand the importance of their patients’ activation level and to tailor interventions accordingly.

“Those with low activation may need more support,” such as post-discharge home visits instead of just a phone call. Low-activation patients should not be overwhelmed with information but should instead be given just a few prioritized key points, combined with the use of reinforcing communications techniques such as teach-back.

“Someone should sit with them and help negotiate their health behaviors,” she adds. “That’s how they get more activated. It doesn’t have to be a doctor going through these things. But just using the clinical lens to understand your patients is not enough.”

Larry Beresford is a freelance writer in Alameda, Calif.