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  • What We're Working On
Matching arthritis care to patients’ needs
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Scientific Study Title:
A Better Match: Transforming rheumatoid arthritis care through tailored follow-up strategies based on disease activity and patient complexity.
Start Date:
  • 2020
End Date:
  • 2023
Research Category
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Why do this research?

There is a crisis in healthcare for Canadians living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Due to a shortage of rheumatologists in Canada, many people with RA must wait a long time to see one. Once they see a rheumatologist most RA patients have follow-up appointments every 3-12 months for 15-20 minutes. Individual patient’s needs are rarely considered when scheduling these appointments, as everyone gets the same amount of time. This study explores a new method of treatment by creating patient care plans that match the needs of the individual patient. The aim is to provide a new solution for sharing resources more effectively while also reducing wait times to see a rheumatologist.

What will be done?

This research will test a new way to help the patients who need more care to get it. We will assign patients who are doing very well to either a care as usual group or a "virtual clinic" group. For the "virtual clinic group", rheumatology staff will review the patient's health status online and follow-up by phone. This will reduce the burden of in-person follow-up for patients who are doing well. We will assign patients with higher disease activity and/or medical or health needs to either a care as usual group or a high intensity care group. Patients in the high intensity care group will have longer medical appointments with more members of the healthcare team.

This study will help us determine whether the new model of care is better, or not, than usual care. It will be relevant for changing the delivery of care to hundreds of patients with RA in Calgary, AB.

The Research Team

Principal Investigator

  • Claire Barber, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Research Scientist, Rheumatology, Arthritis Research Canada (University of Calgary)

Co-Investigators

  • Linda Watson, RN PhD CON(C)
  • Cheryl Barnabe, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Senior Scientist, Rheumatology, Arthritis Research Canada (University of Calgary)
  • Glen Hazlewood, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Research Scientist, Rheumatology, Arthritis Research Canada (University of Calgary0
  • James Rankin RN PhD
  • Paul MacMullan, MD FRCPC
  • Diane Mosher, MD FRCPC
  • Kyla Craig, RN MN
  • Melissa DeBelser, RN

How Can People Get Involved?

This study is a pilot study and will be done at the University of Calgary’s rheumatology clinics. Rheumatologists, nurses, and allied health care providers at the clinics will work together to test the new model of care. Two patient partners who have RA are also helping the research team. We will invite patients at the clinics who have RA to be part of the study.

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