Case management in care of Turkish rheumatoid arthritis patients

This study examined the effectiveness of a case management (CM) intervention in the care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as a pilot study in a teaching hospital in Turkey. Two groups were compared with respect to disability, quality of life, cost, and patient satisfaction: RA patients who received CM plus usual nursing care and RA patients who received usual nursing care alone. All patients underwent follow-up interviews at 3 and 6 months after being discharged from the hospital. Disability scores were significantly better in the RA group receiving CM, but there were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to quality of life, patient satisfaction, and total healthcare costs. Using CM in the care of patients with RA may favorably affect disease-related outcomes.