Personalized care for patients with lymphedema. Six simple questions can make a difference.
Lymphedema is a chronic condition in which effective management depends strongly on self-management, yet supportive care is often insufficiently tailored to individual needs. This article describes the Subjective Health Experience (SHE) model as a simple, cross-disease framework for personalizing supportive care based on patients’ experienced health, acceptance, and perceived control. Using a ladder scale and six brief questions, patients are grouped into four profiles that guide different types of support. Applied to lymphedema care, the SHE model facilitates meaningful dialogue, shared decision-making, and more effective alignment of care with patients’ capacities and preferences.
How to cite: Hendrickx, Ad and Dickinson-Blok, Janine. Pathways. 2026;15(2): 5-8. https://doi.org/10.70472/QCAF1202
Keywords: Lymphedema. Patient perspectives. Subjective Health Experience.
This article was published in Pathways, the quarterly print and online publication of the Canadian Lymphedema Framework. Open Access – Read Online Here
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