TY - JOUR T1 - “KISS” — Embracing Routine Patient Assessment JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol SP - 1096 LP - 1098 DO - 10.3899/jrheum.090389 VL - 36 IS - 6 AU - TILL UHLIG Y1 - 2009/06/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/36/6/1096.abstract N2 - The KISS principle, “Keep it simple, stupid,” is advocated by Ted Pincus and Tuulikki Sokka when clinicians are to measure the outcome in their patients with rheumatic disease1. Both authors are recognized protagonists for routine assessment of patient reported outcomes, which they also perform in their own daily practice.Saving time and other resources in busy offices in private practice or in the environment of a hospital is today a condition sine qua non. If we choose to systematically evaluate patients in daily routine we must understand for what purpose this is being done. Within the frame of clinical trials, extensive assessments are less questionable, often including full 66/68 joint counts as well as questionnaires on quality of life, work-related conditions, and other areas of functioning. There is common acceptance that such trials are not representative for the way we assess our patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in daily routine. While meticulous completion of case report forms and formal standard evaluation predominate in trials, patients receive more flexible and individually tailored assessment and treatment during routine followup visits with their rheumatologists.During the encounter between patient and rheumatologist numerous issues may be raised, depending on the needs, either by the patient or by the physician. As a consequence, most patients with RA will probably not have been formally assessed when they leave the office of their rheumatologist. There may be many reasons for not systematically assessing patients using questionnaires: short time slots scheduled for every visit, patient-centered focus during the consultation, unwillingness to fill in questionnaires by both physicians and patients, and … Address reprint requests to Dr. Uhlig. Email: till.uhlig{at}diakonsyk.no ER -