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The following is a summary of “Identification of Gaps in Quality of Care and Good Practice Interventions in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Insights From a Literature Review and Qualitative Study of Nine Centers in North America,” published in the June 2024 issue of Rheumatology by Curtis et al.

Challenges persist in delivering quality of care (QoC) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including diagnostic delays and referral issues, impacting patient outcomes.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study pinpointing effective interventions promoting optimal care practices for RA in North America.

They proceeded through three stages: first, a review of literature and guidelines (April 2005 to April 2021) on RA-QoC; secondly, visits to over 50 specialists and healthcare professionals across nine rheumatology centers in the US and Canada to uncover challenges and effective interventions in RA care and third, organizing and synthesizing findings from the approaches to identify common good practice interventions.  Followed by an expert review ensuring comprehensive coverage of key challenges and gaps in RA care.

The result showed challenges and 8 potential solutions in reviewing RA care. Prioritized interventions were based on impact and ease of implementation, including technology to enhance care, streamline specialist access, and improve comorbidity management. Additionally, interventions focused on optimizing medication regimens and empowering patients through self-management strategies.

Investigators concluded that findings could be applied to enhance RA care across rheumatology centers in North America, maintaining relevance despite being completed before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: acrjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acr2.11695