An Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care (ACPAC) Maintains a Positive Patient Experience While Increasing Capacity in Rheumatology Community Care.

Purpose: This study describes patient care experiences of solo-rheumatologist and co-managed care models utilizing an Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care-trained Extended Role Practitioner (ACPAC-ERP) in three community rheumatology practices.

Materials And Methods: Patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) were assigned to care provided by one of three (2 senior, 1 early-career) community-based rheumatologists (usual care), or an ACPAC-ERP (co-managed care) for the 6-months following diagnosis. Patient experiences were surveyed using validated measures of patient satisfaction (Patient Doctor Interaction Scale-PDIS), global ratings of confidence and satisfaction, referral patterns, disease activity (RADAI) and self-perceived disability (HAQ-Disability) as well as demographic information.

Impact of pharmacist intervention on completion of recombinant zoster vaccine series in a community pharmacy.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to analyze the impact a pharmacist phone call has played on patients completing the 2-dose shingles vaccine series and to explore the effect that patient cost has on the second dose administration.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study design was used to evaluate whether patients who had a pharmacist phone call intervention were more likely to return for their second recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) dose than patients who did not have a pharmacist phone call intervention. In addition, the impact of immunization cost on series completion was analyzed.

Measuring Advanced/Extended Practice Roles in Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Care in Canada.

Objective: Our objective was to characterize Canadian workforce attributes of extended role practitioners (ERPs) in arthritis care.

Methods: We used an exploratory, mixed-methods study that was based on the Canadian Rheumatology Association's Stand Up and Be Counted Rheumatologist Workforce Survey (2015). An anonymous online survey was deployed to groups of non-physician health care professionals across Canada who potentially had post-licensure training in arthritis care.

Patient and caregiver experience in the transition from hospital to home - brainstorming results from group concept mapping: a patient-oriented study.

Background: Improving the quality of care for patients who return home after a hospital stay is an international priority; however, few jurisdictions have engaged broadly with patients and caregivers to understand what most affects their experience transitioning home. We performed Ontario-wide group concept mapping, beginning with a brainstorming phase, to understand patient and caregiver priorities in the transition.

Methods: We used group concept mapping to engage patients and caregivers who had lived experience transitioning from hospital to home in Ontario in the previous 3 years.

Patient and caregiver priorities in the transition from hospital to home: results from province-wide group concept mapping.

Background: Patients and caregivers often face significant challenges when they are discharged home from hospital. We sought to understand what influenced patient and caregiver experience in the transition from hospital to home and which of these aspects they prioritised for health system improvement.

Methods: We conducted group concept mapping over 11 months with patients-and their caregivers-who were admitted to a hospital overnight in the last 3 years in Ontario, Canada and discharged home.

Patient engagement in the development of best practices for transitions from hospital to home: a scoping review.

Objectives: To explore the extent of patient engagement in the development of best practice reports related to transitions from hospital to home.

Design: Scoping review.

Data Sources: Electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Trip Database, DynaMed Plus and Public Health Plus) and multiple provincial regulatory agency and healthcare organisation websites.

A Systematic Review and Standardized Comparison of Available Evidence for Outcome Measures Used to Evaluate Proximal Humerus Fracture Patients.

Objectives: To summarize and appraise any patient-reported or clinician-measured outcome measures based on their measurement properties in proximal humerus fracture patients.

Data Sources And Study Selection: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL were searched from January 2000 to August 2018 to identify all studies of proximal humerus fracture patients that reported a measurement property evaluation of an outcome measure.

Data Extraction And Synthesis: Quality appraisal of each measure was completed using the Evaluating the Measurement of Patient-Reported Outcomes (EMPRO) tool.

An advanced clinician practitioner in arthritis care can improve access to rheumatology care in community-based practice.

Objective: To facilitate access and improve wait times to a rheumatologist's consultation, this study aimed to 1) determine the ability of an advanced clinician practitioner in arthritis care (ACPAC)-trained extended role practitioner (ERP) to triage patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis (IA) for priority assessment by a rheumatologist and 2) determine the impact of an ERP on access-to-care as measured by time-to-rheumatologist-assessment and time-to-treatment-decision.

Materials And Methods: A community-based ACPAC-trained ERP triaged new referrals for suspected IA. Patients with suspected IA were booked to see the rheumatologist on a priority basis.

Exploring Proxy Measures of Mutuality for Strategic Partnership Development: A Case Study.

Partnerships between academic and clinical-based health organizations are becoming increasingly important in improving health outcomes. Mutuality is recognized as a vital component of these partnerships. If partnerships are to achieve mutuality, there is a need to define what it means to partnering organizations.

Telemedicine delivery of patient education in remote Ontario communities: feasibility of an Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care (ACPAC)-led inflammatory arthritis education program.

Objective: Telemedicine-based approaches to health care service delivery improve access to care. It was recognized that adults with inflammatory arthritis (IA) living in remote areas had limited access to patient education and could benefit from the 1-day Prescription for Education (RxEd) program. The program was delivered by extended role practitioners with advanced training in arthritis care.

Does Every Patient Require Imaging after Cervical Spine Trauma? A Knowledge Translation Project to Support Evidence-Informed Practice for Physiotherapists.

This article evaluates, describes, and addresses a gap in British Columbia physiotherapists' knowledge of the decision making required for the diagnostic imaging of patients after traumatic neck injury. An online survey of orthopaedic physiotherapists in British Columbia was undertaken to explore their awareness of, knowledge of, and attitudes toward the Canadian Cervical Spine Rule (C-Spine Rule) and decision making regarding the need for diagnostic imaging in managing patients with traumatic neck injury. The survey included questions about managing clinical scenarios; respondents' awareness, knowledge, and use of a specific clinical decision rule-the C-Spine Rule-and any perceived barriers to using clinical practice guidelines in general and the C-Spine Rule in specific.

A user's survey of the clinical application and content validity of the DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) outcome measure.

Study Design: Survey.

Purpose Of The Study: To elicit feedback on the clinical use and content validity of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) outcome measure from frontline users of the instrument.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to registered DASH users and inquired about how the DASH was being used and to identify the informational value of items of the DASH (content validity).

Reliability and Validity of Cervical Range of Motion and Muscle Strength Testing.

Kubas, C, Chen, Y-W, Echeverri, S, McCann, S, Denhoed, M, Walker, C, Kennedy, C, and Reid, WD. Reliability and validity of cervical range of motion and muscle strength testing. J Strength Cond Res 31(4): 1087-1096, 2017-Cervical range of motion (ROM) and strength are fundamental measures to assess treatment effectiveness.

A cross-sectional evaluation examining the use of the Achilles tendinopathy toolkit by physiotherapists in British Columbia, Canada.

Purpose: To evaluate the awareness and use of the Achilles tendinopathy toolkit (ATT), a knowledge translation (KT) strategy supporting evidence-informed management of midportion Achilles Tendinopathy (AT), by British Columbian physiotherapists (PTs). Secondarily, to assess PTs strategies for AT management by examining the association between exploring the ATT and following best practice in clinical care as recommended by the ATT.

Methods: Members of the Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia (BC) completed an online cross-sectional survey collecting information on demographics; awareness and exposure; perceptions, usability and applicability to clinical practice; knowledge; and attitudes.

A prospective comparison of telemedicine versus in-person delivery of an interprofessional education program for adults with inflammatory arthritis.

Introduction We evaluated two modes of delivery of an inflammatory arthritis education program ("Prescription for Education" (RxEd)) in improving arthritis self-efficacy and other secondary outcomes. Methods We used a non-randomized, pre-post design to compare videoconferencing (R, remote using telemedicine) versus local (I, in-person) delivery of the program. Data were collected at baseline (T), immediately following RxEd (T), and at six months (T).

The patient perspective: arthritis care provided by Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care program-trained clinicians.

Objective: To assess patient satisfaction with the arthritis care services provided by graduates of the Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care (ACPAC) program.

Materials And Methods: This was a cross-sectional evaluation using a self-report questionnaire for data collection. Participants completed the Patient-Doctor Interaction Scale, modified to capture patient-practitioner interactions.

A training program designed to improve interprofessional knowledge, skills and attitudes in chronic disease settings.

For over 25 years, The Arthritis Program (TAP) at Southlake Regional Health Centre has worked within a successful interprofessional model. TAP recognized the need to teach its model and developed The Arthritis Program - Interprofessional Training Program (TAP-ITP). This pilot study evaluated perceptions of 22 TAP-ITP participants related to effectiveness and satisfaction.

What interventions improve walking ability in neurogenic claudication with lumbar spinal stenosis? A systematic review.

Purpose: To investigate what interventions can improve walking ability in neurogenic claudication with lumbar spinal stenosis.

Methods: We searched CENTRAL, Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL and ICL databases up to June 2012. Only randomized controlled trials published in English and measuring walking ability were included.

Nonoperative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication.

Background: Lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication is one of the most commonly diagnosed and treated pathological spinal conditions. It frequently afflicts the elderly population.

Objectives: To systematically review the evidence for the effectiveness of nonoperative treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication.

System integration and clinical utilization of the Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care (ACPAC) Program-Trained Extended Role Practitioners in Ontario: a two-year, system-level evaluation.

Background: The Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care (ACPAC) program was developed in 2005 to prepare experienced physical and occupational therapists to function as extended role practitioners (ERPs) within models of arthritis care across Ontario, Canada.

Purpose: To examine the system-level integration and clinical utilization of the ACPAC program-trained ERP.

Method: A longitudinal survey was administered to all ACPAC graduates over a two-year period (n=30).

Evaluation of perceived collaborative behaviour amongst stakeholders and clinicians of a continuing education programme in arthritis care.

Successful implementation of new extended practice roles which transcend conventional boundaries of practice entails strong collaboration with other healthcare providers. This study describes interprofessional collaborative behaviour perceived by advanced clinician practitioner in arthritis care (ACPAC) graduates at 1 year beyond training, and relevant stakeholders, across urban, community and remote clinical settings in Canada. A mixed-method approach involved a quantitative (survey) and qualitative (focus group/interview) evaluation issued across a 4-month period.

Reliability of hip examination tests for femoroacetabular impingement.

Objective: To assess the interrater reliability of hip examination tests used to assess femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) among clinicians from different disciplines.

Methods: Twelve subjects were examined by 9 clinicians using 12 hip tests drawn from a review of the literature and consultation with experts in hip pain and FAI. Examiners assessed both hips of each subject and were blinded to subject history.

Measurement properties of the QuickDASH (disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand) outcome measure and cross-cultural adaptations of the QuickDASH: a systematic review.

Purpose: To identify and synthesize evidence for the measurement properties of the QuickDASH, a shortened version of the 30-item DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) instrument.

Methods: This systematic review used a best evidence synthesis approach to critically appraise the measurement properties [using COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN)] of the QuickDASH and cross-cultural adaptations. A standard search strategy was conducted between 2005 (year of first publication of QuickDASH) and March 2011 in MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL.

Changes in Physiotherapy Utilization in One Workforce: Implications for Accessibility among Canadian Working-Age Adults.

In debates over access to essential medical care, comparatively little attention has been paid to the provision of outpatient physiotherapy services. We examined physiotherapy utilization for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among approximately 2,000 employees of a large, unionized, Ontario workplace. We obtained MSD-related physiotherapy claims and service data from the public Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, two private medical insurance carriers, a workplace special fund starting in 1995 and a workplace-contracted, on-site physiotherapy clinic starting in 1999.

Nonoperative treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication: a systematic review.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Objective: To systematically review the evidence for the effectiveness of nonoperative treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication.

Summary Of Background Data: Neurogenic claudication can significantly impact functional ability, quality of life, and independence in the elderly.