TY - JOUR
T1 - Evolving the comprehensive management of rheumatoid arthritis
T2 - identification of unmet needs and development of practical and educational tools
AU - Burmester, Gerd-Rüdiger
AU - Álvaro-Gracia, José María
AU - Betteridge, Neil
AU - Calvo Alén, Jaime
AU - Combe, Bernard
AU - Durez, Patrick
AU - Fautrel, Bruno
AU - Ferreira, Ricardo J O
AU - Gabay, Cem
AU - Iagnocco, Annamaria
AU - Montecucco, Carlomaurizio
AU - Østergaard, Mikkel
AU - Ramiro, Sofia
AU - Rubbert-Roth, Andrea
AU - Stamm, Tanja
AU - Szekanecz, Zoltán
AU - Taylor, Peter C
AU - van de Laar, Mart
N1 - COPECARE
PY - 2020/12/1
Y1 - 2020/12/1
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Despite availability of efficacious treatments, unmet needs still exist, preventing optimal and comprehensive management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Evolving the management of RA (eRA) is a European-wide educational initiative aiming to support improved patient care through practical and educational tools addressing specific unmet needs.METHODS: A multidisciplinary Steering Committee (17 members, 12 countries) identified unmet needs within the management of RA and prioritised those with the greatest impact on patient outcomes. Practical educational tools addressing priority needs were then developed for dissemination and implementation by the rheumatology community across Europe.RESULTS: Five areas of priority need were identified: increasing early recognition of RA and treatment initiation; treating RA to target; optimal, holistic approach to selection of treatment strategy, including shared decision-making; improving identification and management of comorbidities; and non-pharmacological patient management. A suite of 14 eRA tools included educational slides, best-practice guidance, self‑assessment questionnaires, clinical checklists, a multidisciplinary team training exercise, an interactive patient infographic, and case scenarios. By April 2020, rheumatology professionals in 17 countries had been actively engaged in the eRA programme; in 11 countries, eRA tools were selected by national leaders in rheumatology and translated for local dissemination. A web platform, with country-specific pages, was developed to support access to the translated tools (https://www.evolvingthemanagementofra.com/).CONCLUSIONS: The eRA programme supports comprehensive management of RA across Europe through development and dissemination of practical educational tools. The eRA tools address priority needs and are available free of charge to the rheumatology community.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Despite availability of efficacious treatments, unmet needs still exist, preventing optimal and comprehensive management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Evolving the management of RA (eRA) is a European-wide educational initiative aiming to support improved patient care through practical and educational tools addressing specific unmet needs.METHODS: A multidisciplinary Steering Committee (17 members, 12 countries) identified unmet needs within the management of RA and prioritised those with the greatest impact on patient outcomes. Practical educational tools addressing priority needs were then developed for dissemination and implementation by the rheumatology community across Europe.RESULTS: Five areas of priority need were identified: increasing early recognition of RA and treatment initiation; treating RA to target; optimal, holistic approach to selection of treatment strategy, including shared decision-making; improving identification and management of comorbidities; and non-pharmacological patient management. A suite of 14 eRA tools included educational slides, best-practice guidance, self‑assessment questionnaires, clinical checklists, a multidisciplinary team training exercise, an interactive patient infographic, and case scenarios. By April 2020, rheumatology professionals in 17 countries had been actively engaged in the eRA programme; in 11 countries, eRA tools were selected by national leaders in rheumatology and translated for local dissemination. A web platform, with country-specific pages, was developed to support access to the translated tools (https://www.evolvingthemanagementofra.com/).CONCLUSIONS: The eRA programme supports comprehensive management of RA across Europe through development and dissemination of practical educational tools. The eRA tools address priority needs and are available free of charge to the rheumatology community.
KW - Arthritis, Rheumatoid/diagnosis
KW - Europe
KW - Humans
KW - Rheumatology
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 33253107
SN - 0392-856X
VL - 38
SP - 1056
EP - 1067
JO - Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology
JF - Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology
IS - 6
ER -