학술논문
System-level performance measures of access to rheumatology care: a population-based retrospective study of trends over time and the impact of regional rheumatologist supply in Ontario, Canada, 2002–2019
Document Type
article
Author
Source
BMC Rheumatology, Vol 6, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2022)
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
2520-1026
Abstract
Abstract Objective To determine whether there were improvements in rheumatology care for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) between 2002 and 2019 in Ontario, Canada, and to evaluate the impact of rheumatologist regional supply on access. Methods We conducted a population-based retrospective study of all individuals diagnosed with RA between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2019. Performance measures evaluated were: (i) percentage of RA patients seen by a rheumatologist within one year of diagnosis; and (ii) percentage of individuals with RA aged 66 years and older (whose prescription drugs are publicly funded) dispensed a disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) within 30 days after initial rheumatologist visit. Logistic regression was used to assess whether performance improved over time and whether the improvements differed by rheumatology supply, dichotomized as