Improved Management of Patients with Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis in Primary Health Care, 2017

Current political documents recommend that patients with osteoarthritis should mainly be managed in primary health care. However, recent Norwegian research indicated that the quality of primary health care services is sub-optimal for this patient group. In this project a model for integrated care among persons with hip and knee osteoarthritis and a training package for the health care professionals was developed. The intention was to improve professional practice and patient outcomes, and reduce non-desired events (e.g. unnecessary referrals to secondary care, unnecessary use of costly imaging modalities, use of treatment modalities supported by low quality of evidence). The model meets the current need for a multidisciplinary approach to manage patients with chronic diseases and strengthen the health care services through collaboration while keeping the patient in focus.

当前的政策文件建议，骨关节炎患者应主要在初级卫生保健（primary health care）机构接受管理。然而，挪威近期的研究表明，针对该患者群体的初级卫生保健服务质量欠佳。本项目针对髋膝关节骨关节炎患者开发了一套综合护理模型，并为卫生保健专业人员设计了培训包。其旨在改进专业实践与患者结局，减少非期望事件（如不必要的二级护理（secondary care）转诊、不必要使用昂贵的成像手段（imaging modalities）、采用证据质量较低的治疗方式（treatment modalities））。该模型满足了当前对慢性病患者采用多学科管理方法的需求，通过协作强化卫生保健服务，同时始终以患者为中心。