To compare the care of patients with suspected early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) in the Wellington region with the quality standards from the British Society of Rheumatology (BSR) 2013/14 best practice tariffs.
The case notes for patients first seen in clinic from the beginning of 2015 were reviewed until at least 100 cases of suspected inflammatory arthritis were identified. Data gathered included the length of time from referral to first specialist rheumatology clinic, the length of time from referral to the commencement of disease modifying therapy for cases of inflammatory arthritis and the number of specialist-led clinics within the first 12 months of the first appointment.
117 cases of suspected inflammatory arthritis were reviewed. The median time from referral to the first appointment was 11.4 weeks (IQR 6.6-13.3). 61 of the 117 cases had clinically confirmed EIA. The median time from referral to the commencement of disease-modifying therapy was 10.5 weeks (IQR 5-15). For confirmed EIA, the median number of clinics in the first year was four (IQR 3-4).
Patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis in the Wellington region wait much longer to be seen than is recommended by the BSR guidelines.