Can Digitally Delivered First-line Osteoarthritis Treatment Improve Equal Access to Care

Summary

To improve chronically ill patients' health and quality of life, long-standing and continuous treatment is needed at an acceptable cost. The purpose of this study was to compare utilization of digital versus face-to-face delivered osteoarthritis (OA) treatment in the 21 different county councils of Sweden that are responsible for providing healthcare to the residents.

Eligibility

\* Patients in the Joint Academy database that had participated in the Joint Academy treatment program for OA and given their informed consent to participate in research.

Inclusion criteria for the treatment program:

* Radiographic and or clinical diagnosis of hip or knee OA from a physical therapist or physician (95% of all patients in previously published studies). Individuals without a prior diagnosis had clinical OA confirmed by an orthopaedic surgeon or physiotherapist via telephone (diagnosis according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) criteria and Swedish National Guidelines, and confirming the absence of any red flag symptoms), or if deemed necessary were recommended to seek face-to-face care before inclusion in the programme.
* From October 1st 2021, all patients should have undergone a physical examination by doctor or physiotherapists before being able to enter the treatment.

Conditions4

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