In health care practice outside the hospital, about 80% of the diseases treated are chronic. Although much of the treatment is remarkably efficient as a result of, inter alia, medical research, its quality is often far from satisfactory. Many patients do not comply* with instructions; fewer than 50% follow their treatment correctly. It has been observed that patients are inadequately informed about their condition and that few have been helped to manage or take responsibility for their treat- ment. Though most physicians are highly competent in diagnosis and treatment, too few educate their patients to manage their condition. There may be.
