With the changing health care environment, prevalence of chronichealth conditions, and burgeoning challenges of health literacy,obesity, and homelessness, self-management support provides anopportunity for clinicians to enhance effectiveness and, at the sametime, to engage patients to participate in managing their own personalcare. This article reviews the differences between patient education andself-management and describes easy-to-use strategies that fosterpatient self-management and can be used by health care providers in themedical setting. It also highlights the importance of linking patientsto nonmedical programs and services in the community. (Author)