National survey of hospital rheumatology service users to inform a statement set describing the minimum service expectations for publicly funded rheumatology secondary care in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Publisher: Pasifika Medical Association Group Country of Publication: New Zealand NLM ID: 0401067 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1175-8716 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00288446 NLM ISO Abbreviation: N Z Med J Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: 2022- : Auckland : Pasifika Medical Association Group
Original Publication: Wellington : New Zealand Medical Association

Rheumatology*; Humans ; New Zealand ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Adult ; Secondary Care ; Hospitals, Public ; Rheumatic Diseases/therapy ; Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Antirheumatic Agents/therapeutic use

Aims: The essential components of a rheumatology service for public hospital rheumatology services in Aotearoa New Zealand are not yet defined. We aimed to seek the views of users of public hospital rheumatology services on potential components of a rheumatology service.
Methods: Online survey of adults in Aotearoa New Zealand who self-reported as having used district health board rheumatology services in the past 5 years. Participants indicated their level of agreement (7-point Likert scale) on whether service statements should be a component of public hospital rheumatology services and provided free-text comments. Analysis used descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis.
Results: Over 80% of participants (n=237) agreed or strongly agreed with 23 of the 26 statements about rheumatology care. The three statements that did not reach 80% agree or strongly agreed addressed infusion services for biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, offering outpatient assessment for non-inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions and discharge back to primary care when an inflammatory disease is stable. The free-text comments were 1) expression of support of the statement, 2) reconfirming how or why particular services were valued or valuable, 3) caveats about statements, and 4) suggesting other services not mentioned in the statement.
Conclusion: People with inflammatory rheumatic diseases who have used rheumatology services agreed with the majority of the statements of service components, with some caveats. A statement set describing the minimum service expectations for publicly funded rheumatology secondary care in Aotearoa New Zealand has been developed and endorsed by Arthritis New Zealand and the New Zealand Rheumatology Association.
Competing Interests: ND is a board member of Auckland Medical Research Foundation and was president for the New Zealand Rheumatology Association 2020–2022. RG was NZRA executive 2017–2023 and has been on the RACP Finance and Risk committee since 2023, and is a board member of Wellington Medical Research Foundation.
(© PMA.)

0 (Antirheumatic Agents)

Date Created: 20240926 Date Completed: 20240926 Latest Revision: 20240926

20240927

10.26635/6965.6580

39326020