Developing an eczema action plan.

As physicians, we spend time learning about diseases and their management. The key to successful outcomes is the involvement of patients and their families in the care of the conditions for which they seek our assistance. For atopic dermatitis (AD), all patients require frequent emollients for xerotic skin and care of the inflammation, which comes and goes frequently. The levels of care required vary by time and patient. Younger patients require the help of parents or other family members. A keen understanding of the timing and appropriate use of the various treatment modalities is required and is often confusing. Action plans, as used in the care of asthma, for instance, can be effectively integrated into the overall care instructions for AD and have been indispensable for many of my patients and their families. They are one concrete method for patient/family engagement in the overall care planning. The action plans can certainly be translated into languages appropriate for any practice environment. The following brief summary should be of use to those professionals considering the use of this technique.