Abstract
Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of comorbidities such as diabetes (IR of 8.6 per 1000 person-years(1); 20% prevalence(2)), interstitial lung disease (7.7% incidence(3); up to 60% (interstitial lung abnormalities in early RA)(4)), depression (up to 200%(5); 16.8%(6)), and cardiovascular disease (40-70%(7); 5-12.9%(8)) which contributes to increased long-term morbidity and mortality(9). However, despite advances in treatment there are few established recommendations on the management of RA-related comorbidities.
Objectives: This study aimed to identify examples of good practice in the care of RA and associated comorbidities meeting standards of patient-centred care, and consider how these could be implemented in other European centres.
Methods: Following a literature review, multidisciplinary teams including specialists in rheumatology, cardiology and internal medicine, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, patient liaisons and care coordinators at 12 selected specialist centres across Europe (1 centre per country) were interviewed (approx. 180 interviews). The models identified were critically reviewed by a group of experts including a patient representative, and the degree to which the interventions impacted patient care and could be implemented in other centres was evaluated.
Results: Several care model interventions were identified which may improve quality and the patient’s experience of care, e.g. fully integrated screening and diagnosis of comorbidities; coordination and sharing of care across different disciplines of comorbidity management; tailored individual education of patients and family members on lifestyle; enabling virtual engagement between patients on lifestyle management; and optimised convenience for patients having to attend multiple specialty appointments.
Conclusion: This study identified and evaluated interventions that may improve patient outcomes and quality of care in RA and associated comorbidities. The next steps will be to disseminate and implement these examples of good practices in a variety of European healthcare systems and settings.
Objectives: This study aimed to identify examples of good practice in the care of RA and associated comorbidities meeting standards of patient-centred care, and consider how these could be implemented in other European centres.
Methods: Following a literature review, multidisciplinary teams including specialists in rheumatology, cardiology and internal medicine, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, patient liaisons and care coordinators at 12 selected specialist centres across Europe (1 centre per country) were interviewed (approx. 180 interviews). The models identified were critically reviewed by a group of experts including a patient representative, and the degree to which the interventions impacted patient care and could be implemented in other centres was evaluated.
Results: Several care model interventions were identified which may improve quality and the patient’s experience of care, e.g. fully integrated screening and diagnosis of comorbidities; coordination and sharing of care across different disciplines of comorbidity management; tailored individual education of patients and family members on lifestyle; enabling virtual engagement between patients on lifestyle management; and optimised convenience for patients having to attend multiple specialty appointments.
Conclusion: This study identified and evaluated interventions that may improve patient outcomes and quality of care in RA and associated comorbidities. The next steps will be to disseminate and implement these examples of good practices in a variety of European healthcare systems and settings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | PARE0018 |
| Pages (from-to) | 2185 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases |
| Volume | 78 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2019 |
| Event | EULAR Annual European Congress of Rheumatology - Feria de Madrid, Madrid, Spain Duration: 12 Jun 2019 → 15 Jun 2019 https://www.congress.eular.org/ |