Chronic Osteoarthritis Management Initiative Calls for Better OA Screening, Treatment

Leigh F. Callahan, PhD, director of the Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center’s Methodology Core at the Thurston Arthritis Research Center and member of the COAMI Steering Committee, says, “OAAA [Osteoarthritis Action Alliance] is excited about collaborating with COAMI to ensure the chronic model of care is disseminated as widely as possible.” COAMI’s mission fits with one of OAAA’s goals: “Mobilize health systems and health care professionals to proactively identify and comprehensively address OA in their clinical care” (e.g., decision prompts, pain management, physical activity as a vital sign, referral to community-based programs).

At a scheduled April COAMI meeting, which will be held in conjunction with the OAAA, the two organizations will find ways to “mesh and be synergistic,” says Dr. Jordan. The OAAA has similar goals to those of COAMI, but is directed more toward the public and healthcare policy. The two are a natural fit to come up with a strategic approach to dealing with OA.

“After the April meeting, we’ll start solidifying our long-term goals, start looking at plans to engage payers and create algorithms to guide primary care providers and others to identify patients,” Dr. Jordan says. “A visit planner will create an algorithm for how to deal with a patient from the time she enters the office.” Much useful information, such as BMI, lipid levels, hypertension, diabetes and osteoporosis, can be embedded in electronic medical records. Collecting information needs to become second nature to the healthcare provider.

Mr. King concedes that enticing primary care providers into the project may be “quite a challenge” because they are already overburdened, but their involvement is vital, so patients can be identified early.

The information in the electronic medical records can also be a great source of data for research, according to Dr. Jordan. “In the U.S., we’re kind of behind. Canada has been doing this kind of thing for years. All of us, including rheumatologists, need to be aware.”

Early Intervention Makes a Difference

For evidence that intervention, before joint replacement, does make a difference in OA patients’ lives, we can look to Denmark.