This is the clinician version of the standards. The version for individuals with osteoarthritis is here.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis and is a chronic, progressive condition with no cure. As Albertans live longer and with higher rates of obesity, the prevalence of OA continues to increase, particularly in the lower limbs. OA of the hip and knee joints can significantly impact a person’s mobility and quality of life.
These nine care standards support care for adults with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. The nine standards focus on assessment, diagnosis, treatment, self-management, and measurement of this condition for people across all health care settings.
SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS
STANDARD 1:
Clinical Assessment for Osteoarthritis (OA)
STANDARD 2:
Developing a Care Plan
STANDARD 3:
Tailoring Treatments
CORE TREATMENTS
STANDARD 4:
Core Treatment 1:
Osteoarthritis Education
STANDARD 5:
Core Treatment 2:
Exercise & Physical Activity
STANDARD 6:
Core Treatments 3:
Weight Management
STANDARD 7:
Adjunct Treatments
STANDARD 8:
Referral for Joint Surgery
STANDARD 9:
Measuring Quality of Care
ABOUT THE STANDARDS
Comprehensive Quality Care Standards for Osteoarthritis of the Hip and Knee includes nine consensus-based statements that draw on the evidence to guide the ideal conservative care for individuals with osteoarthritis (OA) in Alberta.
These standards guide the reader through a conservative OA care journey, while still acknowledging that each individual will have a unique OA journey and care should be tailored to them. This body of work is living and will be reviewed annually.
These standards were authored by the Conservative OA Clinical Committee. The committee works on behalf of the Bone and Joint Health Strategic Clinical Network (BJH SCN) and is supported by the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute (ABJHI).
The Health Quality of Ontario’s Quality Standards for Care for Adults With Osteoarthritis of the Knee, Hip, or Hand10 10Health Quality Ontario. Osteoarthritis: Care for adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, or hand. Toronto, Ontario: Health Quality Ontario; 2018.were an inspiration for this body of work for Albertans.
CURRENT CONSERVATIVE OA CLINICAL COMMITTEE
| Chair: Donna Davies | Alberta Health Services Physiotherapist Central Zone Practice Lead |
| Dr. Joanne Homik | Rheumatologist |
| Dr. Allyson Jones | University of Alberta Professor Dept of Physical Therapy; School of Public Health |
| Dr. Marni Wesner | Sport and Exercise Medicine University of Alberta Glen Sather Sport Medicine Clinic, Associate Clinical Professor University of Alberta |
| Christine Gregoire-Gau | Occupational Therapist, Camrose Musculoskeletal Clinic |
| Dr. Ted Findlay | Family Physician at the Calgary Chronic Pain Centre, Assistant Professor at Dept. of Family Medicine at the University of Calgary |
| Dr. Sarah Koles | Musculoskeletal Radiologist in Calgary, Associate Clinical Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary |
| Kimberly Phillips | Pharmacist, Extended Health Team at the Foothills Primary Care Network |
| Dr. Steve Kwan | Orthopaedic Surgeon, Chief of Surgery Chinook Regional Hospital |
| Sheila Kelly | Orthopaedic Nurse, Manager Bone and Joint Health Strategic Clinical Network |
PROCESS FOR UPDATING THE STANDARDS
The Conservative Osteoarthritis (OA) Clinical Committee meets annually every spring to review these Comprehensive Quality Care Standards for Osteoarthritis of the Hip and Knee.
Any clinician or individual with OA has the right to put forward a request for a change to the Comprehensive Quality Care Standards. To clarify this process, we have outlined the steps below:
- Gather as much scientific or data evidence together as you can to support the reason for your question, request or recommendation
- Summarize the evidence and your 'ask'
- Submit these items to the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute (ABJHI) by end of December of each year
- ABJHI will review the requests with the chair of the Conservative OA Clinical Committee
- If the topic is approved for clinical committee discussion, ABJHI will arrange for more in-depth investigation of evidence, as required
- Decisions made at the Conservative OA Clinical Committee meeting are documented by ABJHI
- The corresponding changes to the care standards are made by ABJHI
- The revised care standards will then be updated on the _____ and disseminated as appropriate.
Please submit your requests by end of December of each year for consideration for the clinical committee agenda of the following spring.
BONE & JOINT HEALTH STRATEGIC CLINICAL NETWORK (SCN)
Strategic Clinical Networks (SCNs) are mandated to create improvements within focused areas of health care. They are networks of people who are passionate and knowledgeable about specific areas of health. They are tasked with finding new and innovative ways of delivering care that will provide better quality, better outcomes and better value for every Albertan.
BJH SCN Vision: Keeping Albertans Moving.
BJH SCN Mission: To create a person-centred, integrated system to optimize bone and joint health of Albertans by working together with our partners.
Website: BJH SCN Website
Transformational Road Map: BJH SCN’s Transformational Road Map for 2020-2025
ALBERTA BONE & JOINT HEALTH INSTITUTE
The Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute (ABJHI) was established in 2004. The institute offers data services and partners with health organizations to drive quality improvement change. ABJHI is a trusted third party that links data from many sources to provide a picture of an individual’s care journey.
Website: https://www.albertaboneandjoint.com/