Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a type of arthritis caused by the body attacking itself. It’s quite common, affecting about 1 in 100 people. People with RA often have pain and swelling in their joints, which can make it hard to do things they enjoy. If left untreated, RA can cause disability, which means it’s hard to do everyday activities. It can also lead to expensive surgeries to replace damaged joints, can increase the risk of heart and lung problems, and can even lead to death. But with the right treatment early on, people can live longer and have a better quality of life.

Our group has spent ten years collaborating with the national rheumatology community to create ways to measure good healthcare for people with RA. One of the main difficulties in measuring how patients are doing is the amount of information available. However, in Alberta, a new electronic health record is being set up. This is a great chance to use the new system to measure how care is given and how patients are doing across the province. This could also help us create a “learning health system” where we learn from the data collected in everyday patient visits and make sure the care provided is top-notch according to established quality measures.