Development of a Rheumatology-specific Patient Concerns Inventory and Its Use in the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Patient-centered care
• Health informatics

Background:

• Managing rheumatic conditions is complex and requires a holistic approach.
• Current care delivery faces challenges in addressing patient needs comprehensively.
• A validated tool is needed to facilitate holistic needs assessment in rheumatology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a Patient Concerns Inventory (PCI).
• To assess the utility of the PCI in a rheumatology clinic setting.
• To evaluate the impact of the PCI on patient-reported concerns and consultation dynamics.

Main Methods:

• The PCI was developed through a systematic literature review, expert consultation, and patient focus groups.
• An observational, exploratory study design was employed in two phases.
• The PCI was piloted in a general rheumatology clinic to assess its effectiveness.

Main Results:

• Consultation duration increased slightly with PCI use (15 min vs. 8 min).
• Patients raised significantly more concerns post-PCI (9 concerns/patient vs. 5 concerns/patient, p=0.002).
• Increased concerns were noted in physical, functional, and social well-being domains, with high patient satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• The Patient Concerns Inventory is an effective tool for holistic needs assessment in rheumatology.
• PCI implementation leads to a higher number of patient-raised concerns, enhancing care identification.
• The PCI improves the identification of unmet patient needs without negatively impacting patient satisfaction.