Abstract
Background: With an increased proportion of
elderly in the western society, socioeconomic costs of arthritis are
continuously increasing. Despite improvement in medical pharmacological
and surgical treatment, special rehabilitation strategies are often
required. Team care research explores and evaluates arthritis care.
However, the number of research studies in this field is limited, and
evidence regarding the content, effectiveness and costs of different
care models are lacking.
Aims: To create a basis for registration
of team care interventions in arthritis, and to investigate different
aspects of structure, process and outcome of team care in hospitals and
rehabilitation units in Europe.
Methods: A common set of instruments will
be used to assess structure, process and outcome
of team care
interventions in arthritis in at least 13 hospitals and rehabilitation
centres in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. In common
databases, this will form the bases for
a long term prospective
observational study.
Importance and relevance: Criteria for
team care research will be developed, by suggesting a core set in
evaluating arthritis team care and by creating a basis for future
intervention studies. Criteria for team care will be developed, by
suggesting indications for and structure of team care for various
rheumatic diseases (to be embedded in for example EULAR guidelines for
the management of RA or OA).
Objectives
1. To create a basis for registration of team care
interventions in arthritis relating to structure, process and outcome.
The short-term objectives of this project is to:
a. Develop a European framework and network to
assess structure, process and outcome
of arthritis care and team care
interventions.
b. Create a standard for collecting data on team
care in common databases (with different technical solutions including
web based registers).
2. To collect data on structure, process and
outcome of team care in hospitals and specialised rehabilitation
centres. The intermediate objectives is to:
a. Study the influence of structure, process and
team care synergies on outcomes in team care of patients with rheumatic
diseases.
b. Study patient characteristics and patient preferences relevant for rehabilitation outcome.
c. Compare elements of current rehabilitation
practice with the evidence from international published literature as a
basis for quality improvement and bench marking.
3. To develop European criteria for team care and team care research. Long-term objectives is to:
a. Develop indications for team care for various
rheumatic diseases (to be embedded in for example EULAR guidelines for
the management of RA or OA).
b. Create a basis for future intervention studies. |
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