Investigating the Influence of Patient Eligibility Characteristics on the Number of Deferrable Rheumatologist Visits: Planning for a Patient-Initiated Follow-Up Strategy.

Objective: Patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a model of care delivery wherein patients contact the clinic when needed instead of having regularly scheduled follow-up. Our objective was to investigate the influence of different patient eligibility characteristics on the number of potentially deferred visits to inform future implementation of a PIFU strategy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 7 rheumatologists' practices at 2 university-based clinics between March 1, 2021, and February 28, 2022.

Healthcare resource utilization and costs in stable patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Comparing nurse-led and rheumatologist-led models of care delivery.

Objectives: Having previously shown similar clinical outcomes, this study compared the healthcare resource utilization and direct costs in stable patients with RA followed in the nurse-led care (NLC) and rheumatologist-led care (RLC) models.

Methods: Previously collected clinical data were linked to data on practitioner claims, ambulatory care, and hospital discharges. Assessed resources included physician visits; emergency department (ED) visits; hospital admissions, and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Nurse-Led Care for Stable Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Quality of Care in Routine Practice Compared to the Traditional Rheumatologist-Led Model.

Introduction: This pragmatic non-inferiority study assessed quality of care within a nurse-led care (NLC) model for stable patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to the traditional rheumatologist-led care (RLC) model.

Methods: Data were collected through a chart review. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were compared using Chi-square test and t test.

Development of an Implementation Strategy for Patient Decision Aids in Rheumatoid Arthritis Through Application of the Behavior Change Wheel.

Objective: Decision aids are being developed to support guideline-based rheumatology care in Canada. The study objective was to identify barriers to decision aid use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) within a behavior change model to inform an implementation strategy.

Methods: Perspectives from Canadian health care providers (HCPs) and patients living with RA were obtained on an early RA decision aid and on perceived facilitators and barriers to decision aid implementation.

The voice of patients in system redesign: A case study of redesigning a centralized system for intake of referrals from primary care to rheumatologists for patients with suspected rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: The published literature demands examples of health-care systems designed with the active engagement of patients to explore the application of this complex phenomenon in practice.

Methods: This case study explored how the voice of patients was incorporated into the process of redesigning an element of the health-care system, a centralized system for intake of referrals from primary care to rheumatologists for patients with suspected rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-centralized intake. The phenomenon of patient engagement using "patient and community engagement researchers" (PaCERs) in research and the process of redesigning centralized intake were selected as the case.

Development of a Canadian Core Clinical Dataset to Support High-quality Care for Canadian Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To develop a Canadian Rheumatoid Arthritis Core Clinical Dataset (CAN-RACCD) to standardize documentation encouraging high-quality care.

Methods: A set of candidate elements was drafted through meetings with 27 rheumatologists, researchers, and patients, and supplemented with focused literature reviews. A 3-round online-modified Delphi consensus process was held with rheumatologists (n = 26), allied health professionals (n = 7), and patients (n = 4); for the remainder there was no demographic information.

Improving Appropriate Access to Care With Central Referral and Triage in Rheumatology.

Objective: To evaluate the short-term and long-term impact of a centralized system for the intake and triage of rheumatology referrals on access to care and referral quality.

Methods: An innovative central referral process, the Central Referral and Triage in Rheumatology (CReATe Rheum) program, was implemented in 2006, serving a referral base of 2 million people. Referrals are received in a central office, triaged by trained nurses, and assigned to the next available appointment on a prioritized basis.

Development of System-level Performance Measures for Evaluation of Models of Care for Inflammatory Arthritis in Canada.

Objective: To develop system-level performance measures for evaluating the care of patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA), including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Methods: This study involved several methodological phases. Over multiple rounds, various participants were asked to help define a set of candidate measurement themes.

Transitioning to employment with a rheumatic disease: the role of independence, overprotection, and social support.

Objective: To examine perceived independence, overprotection, and support, and their association with the employment participation of young adults with rheumatic disease.

Methods: One hundred and forty-three young adults, ages 18 to 30 years, with systemic lupus erythematosus (54.5%) and juvenile arthritis (45.

Clinical and serological features of patients referred through a rheumatology triage system because of positive antinuclear antibodies.

Background: The referral of patients with positive anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) tests has been criticized as an inappropriate use of medical resources. The utility of a positive ANA test in a central triage (CT) system was studied by determining the autoantibody profiles and clinical diagnoses of patients referred to rheumatologists through a CT system because of a positive ANA test.

Methods: Patients that met three criteria were included: (1) referred to Rheumatology CT over a three year interval; (2) reason for referral was a "positive ANA"; (3) were evaluated by a certified rheumatologist.

Time to disease-modifying antirheumatic drug treatment in rheumatoid arthritis and its predictors: a national, multicenter, retrospective cohort.

Objective: To determine the proportion of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) under rheumatologic care treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) within 6 months from symptom onset and the components of time to treatment and its predictors.

Methods: A historical inception cohort of 339 patients with RA randomly selected from 18 rheumatology practices was audited. The proportion that initiated DMARD treatment within 6 months from symptom onset was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Canadian Rheumatology Association recommendations for the pharmacological management of rheumatoid arthritis with traditional and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: part II safety.

Objective: The Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) has developed recommendations for the pharmacological management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with traditional and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) in 2 parts. Part II, focusing on specific safety aspects of treatment with traditional and biologic DMARD in patients with RA, is reported here.

Methods: Key questions were identified a priori based on results of a national needs-assessment survey.

Early management of newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis by Canadian rheumatologists: a national, multicenter, retrospective cohort.

Objective: To describe early rheumatologic management for newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Canada.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 339 randomly selected patients with RA diagnosed from 2001-2003 from 18 rheumatology practices was audited between 2005-2007.

Results: The most frequent initial disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) included hydroxychloroquine (55.

Canadian recommendations for use of methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To develop recommendations for the use of methotrexate (MTX) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Canadian rheumatologists who participated in the international 3e Initiative in Rheumatology (evidence, expertise, exchange) in 2007-2008 formulated 5 unique Canadian questions. A bibliographic team systematically reviewed the relevant literature on these 5 topics.

Rheumatoid arthritis association with the FCRL3 -169C polymorphism is restricted to PTPN22 1858T-homozygous individuals in a Canadian population.

Objective: Variants in genes encoding the Fc receptor-like 3 (FcRL-3) and the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) transactivator proteins have been associated with an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Japanese and Nordic populations, respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate these associations in a Canadian Caucasian cohort of RA cases and healthy controls.

Methods: A total of 1,187 RA patients and 462 healthy controls were genotyped for FCRL3 and MHC2TA gene variants associated with RA.

The clinical assessment of patients with psoriatic arthritis: results of a reliability study of the spondyloarthritis research consortium of Canada.

Objectives: To evaluate whether rheumatologists experienced in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) assess peripheral and axial involvement in the same way and to consider core clinical measurements that should be included in clinical trials in PsA.

Methods: Ten patients with PsA, representing a broad range of joint inflammation, joint damage, and spinal involvement, were selected for the study. Each patient was examined by each of 10 rheumatologists, members of the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada, according to a Latin Square design.