Descriptions of the 5 models of care included in the study.
| Model of Care | General Description | Database | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Rheumatic Health Unit (RHU) Central Triage Model of Care, St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador | Central model of access for rheumatology services since 2011, funding for an interprofessional approach in 2014. 2 NP, 1 PT, 1 OT, 3 rheumatologists, 1/4 pharmacist. Provincial referral site for adult rheumatology in Newfoundland. | Central triage database available | DHCS and EH pilot funding 2011–2014, permanent funding 2014. |
| The Arthritis Program (TAP), Southlake Regional Hospital, Newmarket, Ontario | Interprofessional team-based approach to assessment, treatment, and education of patients with arthritis since 1991. Catchment area: York, Simcoe, Muskoka/Parry Sound | Data from 2 rheumatologists only included; no triage database available | TAP awarded MOH grant in 1991, subsequently rolled into the Hospital Global Budget1 |
| The Early Arthritis Clinic (EAC), William Osler Health System, Brampton, Ontario | Central model of access for early inflammatory arthritis since 2014. Four rheumatologists and 1 ACPAC ERP PT. Catchment area: Brampton, Etobicoke, and surrounding Greater Toronto areas | Central triage database available | WOHS Global Budget through MSK program, set up in 2014. |
| The Siksika Arthritis Screening Project (SASP), Siksika Reserve, Alberta | On-reserve arthritis clinic since 2011; indigenous patients can use self-referral to remove barriers to access to care. A single rheumatologist leads this model of care. | Cohort data collected | Physician salary from ARP, clinic funded through tripartite agreement between First Nations and Inuit Health, AHS, and Siksika Nation. |
| The Urban Aboriginal Arthritis Care Program (UAACP), Calgary, Alberta | Clinic for urban indigenous population since 2012; patients can use self-referral to remove barriers to access to care. A single rheumatologist leads this model of care. | Cohort data collected | Physician salary from ARP, clinic funded by AHS. |
↵1 Hospital Global Budget: York County Hospital, now Southlake Regional Health Centre. NP: nurse practitioner; PT: physiotherapist; OT: occupational therapist; DHCS: Department of Health and Community Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador; EH: Eastern Health; MOH: Ministry of Health; ACPAC ERP: Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care Extended Role Practitioner; WOHS: William Osler Health System; ARP: Alternative Relationship Plan; AHS: Alberta Health Services; MSK: musculoskeletal.