Data Elements Required for Evaluation of Performance Measures | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Model of Care | Final Diagnosis Available | Referral Date Available | Visit Dates Available | Length of Followup1 | Treatment Data Available | Other | Resolution | Performance Measures Reported |
RHU | No | Yes | Yes | Limited | No | Triage database captured diagnosis to first point of entry (often allied health provider) | Chart reviews to determine diagnosis | Waiting times for consultation |
TAP | No | No | No | Limited | No | No readily available database2 | Used enrollment in an early arthritis cohort2 to identify eligible subjects and chart reviews used for remainder of information | Waiting times for consultation |
EAC | No | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes | N/A | Chart reviews to determine diagnosis | Waiting times for consultation, percent taking DMARD, time to DMARD |
SASP and UAACP3 | Yes | No | Yes | Adequate | Yes | Majority of patients self-referred to clinic so waiting times ultimately not reported | Chart reviews used to establish referral dates | Waiting times for consultation, percent seen in yearly followup, percent taking DMARD, time to DMARD |
↵1 “Limited” followup meant that performance measures relating to the percent of patients seen in yearly followup could not be calculated because either the length of operation of the model of care was not > 1 year, or the data were not readily available without an extensive chart review. “Adequate” refers to models where there were enough years of data and the data available to report on this measure.
↵2 The patients from TAP were enrolled in an early arthritis cohort, and performance measures for total cohort are reported elsewhere for the other 3 performance measures but were not readily available with the data sources in clinic.
↵3 The numbers of patients in these models of care resulted in cell sizes < 5 for reporting for some years, so the data were pooled for reporting. Additionally, similar data were available for both models of care because the cohorts were started by the same investigator (C. Barnabe). DMARD: disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; EAC: Early Arthritis Clinic at the William Osler Health System in Brampton, Ontario; RHU: Rheumatic Health Unit at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, St. John’s, Newfoundland; SASP: Siksika Arthritis Screening Project on the Siksika Reserve, Alberta; TAP: The Arthritis Program at the Southlake Regional Hospital in Newmarket, Ontario; UAACP: Urban Aboriginal Arthritis Care Program in Calgary, Alberta; N/A: not applicable.