Development of the Australian Rheumatology Association Clinical Care Standard for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis in adults

Objective. To develop a quality standard, termed a Clinical Care Standard (CCS), for the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. A Working Group with consumer representation cocreated guiding principles and quality statements for RA care through a series of workshops. The process was informed by consumer recommendations, clinical practice guidelines, and international quality criteria. A national survey of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and consumers was conducted to establish consensus. For each quality statement, respondents were asked to indicate, on a scale of 1-9, (1) if it is a priority area for improvement in RA care, and (2) their agreement with the content of the statement. For (1) and (2), respectively, scores between 1 and 4 indicated it was not a priority and disagreement; 5 and 6 indicated it was important but not critical and moderate agreement; and 7 to 9 indicated it was high priority and agreement. Criteria for inclusion were a mean score ≥ 7 for priority and a mean score ≥ 7 for content. Results. The Working Group formulated 13 quality statements and established 7 guiding principles for RA care. The survey was completed by 605 consumers and 308 HCPs. The predefined criteria for inclusion were met by 12/13 quality statements. Conclusion. The Australian Rheumatology Association has developed the first CCS for RA in Australia. This standard will serve as an important lever for HCPs and services, consumer organizations, and policy makers to improve the quality of care for adults with RA.