Objective: To provide group therapy consisting of Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Nurse Education Sessions for Inflammatory Arthritis Patients within 90 days of diagnosis. To expand this service by developing videolinks (Healthsnaps) to reinforce the education and exercise provided on the programme. The videolink allows the Health Care Professional to send the patient messages that will support them with the management of their treatment and condition. This will help the patient to feel connected while taking more ownership of their disease and ultimately improve lifestyle behaviours.
Methods: All rheumatology clinic patients with a new diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis will be invited to attend group therapy consisting of three Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy sessions and two Nurse Education sessions within 90 days of diagnosis. Sessions will consist of presentations, discussions and practical sessions regarding exercise and joint protection. The programme is based on the Lifestyle Management for Arthritis Programme (Hammond, 2008). As a follow-up to attendance on the programme, patients will receive links to recorded video messages from their therapist and nurse in the form of Healthsnaps. Healthsnap allows clinicians to record and send short video messages. These messages will reinforce the education provided by attendance at the programme and allow access to videos of prescribed exercises. The Arthritis Self Efficacy Scale - Short form 2 (ASES -SF2) and a programme evaluation form is completed before and after programme attendance.
Results: In a six month period, 26 patients were offered a place on two programmes; 15 patients attended the programmes, and 11 completed pre and post ASES-SF2 and patient feedback forms. Mean scores of the 11 participants were collated. Results identified positive changes in mean scores for self-efficacy in pain management, function and symptom management for all participants. All 11 participants strongly agreed that they would recommend the programme to others and that the content was presented at a level which could be readily understood, that the material presented had practical relevance, the teaching methods used helped them learn effectively, and that they were helped to understand how to manage their arthritis
Conclusion: Inflammatory arthritis is deemed as a high priority within the clinical management of musculoskeletal disorders. Accessibility and equity are quality indicators of the National Clinical Programme for Rheumatology. Clinical standards supporting early therapy intervention for newly diagnosed inflammatory arthritis patients led to the development of a group therapy inter-disciplinary approach to managing this patient cohort. Videolinks were developed to further support the programme. It is possible for patients to access generic applications and videos pertaining to exercise and joint protection but this approach ensures that the patients receive tailored therapy advice and instruction from their multidisciplinary team.
References: Hammond, A. (2008). Lifestyle Management Arthritis Programme. Available at: www.rheumatology.oxfordjournal... (Accessed 06 January 2016).
Ethical Approval: Clinical Audit Department at St. Vincent’s University Hospital.
