Using Data to Drive Policy Action: An Urgent Call for Funding Interdisciplinary Team-Based Rheumatology Care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare policy
• Rheumatology
• Public health

Background:

• Canadian healthcare systems grapple with increasing chronic diseases, specialist shortages, and rising costs.
• Rheumatology faces significant demand and workforce limitations, straining physician-centric care models.
• Population data reveal escalating rheumatic disease prevalence, emergency visits, disability, and medication expenses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the expansion of team-based care models into rheumatology specialty settings.
• To highlight the necessity of integrating allied health practitioners for enhanced rheumatology care.
• To propose leveraging existing interprofessional funding for rheumatology to improve system sustainability.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of population-level data on rheumatology patient care trends.
• Review of policy consensus regarding team-based care in chronic disease management.
• Examination of the potential for extending interprofessional team models to specialty care.

Main Results:

• Physician-centric models in rheumatology are unsustainable given current pressures.
• Team-based care is broadly recognized as essential for chronic disease management.
• Systematic extension of team-based models to specialty care, including rheumatology, is lacking.

Conclusions:

• Integrating allied health practitioners into rheumatology practices is vital for improving access, quality, and workforce capacity.
• Utilizing existing interprofessional team funding mechanisms offers a pragmatic approach to modernizing rheumatology care.
• Implementing team-based care models is essential for the long-term sustainability of the Canadian healthcare system in rheumatology.