Author(s)

Janet Pope^1,2*, Linda Wang¹, Paul Tingey^2,3, Angela Montgomery⁴, Art Karasik⁵, Pauline Boulos⁶, Vandana Ahluwalia⁷, Maggie Larche⁶, Sara Haig^1,2, Nikhil Chopra⁸, Gina Rohekar^1,2, Sherry Rohekar^1,2

¹Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
²St. Joseph’s Health Care, London, Canada.
³Medical School, Brisbane, Australia.
⁴Unit 502, Mississauga, Canada.
⁵Suite 202, Toronto, Canada.
⁶Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
⁷Suite 314, Brampton, Canada.
⁸Suite 411, London, Canada.

Objectives: To determine if comparative practice data and education for rheumatologists would change physician behavior for monitoring and treating psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA). Methods: Participating rheumatologists each performed a chart audit on 20 patients with PsA and SpA. Accredited education (determined by a survey and chart audits) and results of chart audits (comparing to other rheumatologists) were provided for each participant (intervention). Eight months later, a repeat chart audit by each participant was conducted on another 20 PsA and SpA patients. Changes in measurements collected, treatment given and patient characteristics pre and post intervention were analyzed. Results: Nine rheumatologists received the intervention. At baseline, most routinely monitored PsA and SpA for clinical and laboratory markers. In PsA, there was no change post-intervention in performing SJC (96%), TJC (≥91%), ESR (≥70%), CRP (≥73%), and CDAI (25%). In SpA, there were increased measurements of inflammatory markers (54% pre vs. 61% post for CRP), more NSAID use and decreased physical exam measures and HAQ but no significant changes. There were no major treatment differences pre and post intervention including NSAIDs, DMARDs and biologics. Conclusions: The rheumatologists frequently performed measurements of disease activity, did not change significantly with educational intervention so there may have been little room for improvement and many patients were already in a low disease state. Calculation of composite scores did not increase in PsA. The validity of physical exam and BASDAI as a measurement of disease activity were noted as concerns in applying a treat-to-target approach in SpA. Significance and Innovation: This study did not show a significant change in behavior for rheumatologists who had education based on care gaps and needs assessment in psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthropathy. The rheumatologists identified that disease activity is difficult to determine with usual care in SpA and thought some measures lacked validity.

Education, Seronegative Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Behavioral Change, Outcome Assessments

Pope, J. , Wang, L. , Tingey, P. , Montgomery, A. , Karasik, A. , Boulos, P. , Ahluwalia, V. , Larche, M. , Haig, S. , Chopra, N. , Rohekar, G. and Rohekar, S. (2017) A Needs-Based Rheumatologist Education Program on Treating to Target in Psoriatic Arthritis and Spondyloarthropathy: Insights and Challenges. Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases, 7, 53-64. doi: 10.4236/ojra.2017.71005.