A municipal health center’s co-constructed therapeutic patient education program for patients with single or multiple morbidities

Introduction: The accessibility of Therapeutic Patient Education (TPE) is essential to reduce social inequalities and to meet the challenges posed by the increase in chronic diseases. In France, the distribution of TPE throughout the territory is heterogeneous and patients still lack sufficient access. With these perspectives in mind, a municipal health center has developed an innovative TPE device by involving concerned patients from the outset.

Objectives: The objectives of this article are to present the methodology implemented to co-construct a TPE program for patients with one or more prevalent diseases in the territory, as well as the results of the co-construction.

Methods: Creation of a project team with various actors: patients, health professionals, administrators, researchers. Organization of synchronous and asynchronous times.

Results: Four meetings and numerous exchanges made it possible to: define the common values and operating rules of the project team, reflect on the coordination of the care pathway, identify the specific and shared needs of patients affected by type 2 diabetes, arterial hypertension and/or obesity, agree on the principles of the device.

Conclusion: The advantages of this device were discussed: flexible organization with numerous links with local actors, development of partnerships, expansion of the population concerned. Questions and difficulties were encountered, such as the coordination of actors and the representation of partner patients for the targeted diseases. This device will be tested and evaluated, mainly with an objective of improving it.