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Understanding how quality of care affects rheumatoid arthritis outcomes
Understand the Care of People with RA PLS Image
Scientific Study Title:
Understanding the effect of adherence to system-level performance measures on outcomes for rheumatoid arthritis
Start Date:
  • April 2020
End Date:
  • March 2023
Research Category
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Why do this research?

One in a hundred Canadians lives with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and suffers daily joint swelling, stiffness and pain. RA causes disability and sometimes can lead to joint replacement surgery if not properly treated. Joint inflammation in RA also increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. These complications of chronic inflammation contribute to substantial disability, increased healthcare costs and premature deaths. Studies show early and appropriate treatment of RA improve patient pain, function, disability, and survival.

The Arthritis Alliance of Canada (AAC) developed a national set of performance indicators to measure whether patients with RA are getting timely care and treated appropriately. Testing of these measures across Canada identified gaps in care including long waiting times for rheumatology consultations, lower than expected rates of treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (the standard of care), and inconsistent follow-up care. It is unknown why these gaps occur and what they mean for patients and the healthcare system.

What will be done?

In this study we will use administrative data from 3 Canadian provinces, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario to investigate how quality of care, as measured by the AAC performance measures, affects patient outcomes and the healthcare system.

The Research Team

The team includes practicing rheumatologists, and experts in quality of care research, health economics, and statistics.

Principal Investigators:

  • Claire Barber, MD, PhD, FRCPC, (Nominated Principal Investigator), Professor, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
  • Diane Lacaille, MD, MHSc, FRCPC, Principal Investigator, Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of British Columbi
  • Jessica Widdifield, BSc, PhD, Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto

Co-Investigators:

Research Staff:

  • Nicole Spencer, MSc (UCalgary)

 

Who Funded This Research?

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

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