Health care providers* tend to talk to patients about their disease rather than train them in the daily management* of their condition. Therapeutic patient education* is designed therefore to train patients in the skills* of self-managing or adapting treatment to their particular chronic disease*, and in coping* processes and skills*. It should also contribute to reducing the cost* of long-term care to patients and to society. It is essential to the efficient self-management* and to the quality of care of all long-term diseases* or conditions, though acutely ill patients should not be excluded from its benefits. Therapeutic pa- tient education* is.
