Waiting times for first appointments are a major obstacle to timely rheumatology care. To improve access, a cooperative of office-based rheumatologists established an immediate access network, offering brief initial assessments for patients with musculoskeletal problems.
Patients were assessed at presentation and followed up after 6 months. Data were analyzed regarding demographics, diagnostic accuracy, clinical variables such as pain levels, and care.
There were 335 patients assessed in the 6 cooperating practices during dedicated office hours. There were 124 patients (38%) who had a symptom duration of < 3 months. For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), this proportion was 43% (70% for self-referred patients with RA). In the 325 patients available for reassessment after 6 months, initially suspected diagnoses were confirmed in 88%. Confirmation rates were 93% for RA (59 patients) and 84% for spondyloarthritis (SpA; 46 patients). At the followup examination, the visual analog scale for pain in patients with RA had significantly decreased from a median (interquartile range) of 70 (57.75-80) to 27.5 (20-42). For patients with SpA, the decrease was from 65 (50-79) to 30 (20-40).
The Rapid Access Clinic resulted in a substantial improvement of access to rheumatology assessment. More than one-third of the patients presented < 3 months after symptom onset. Suspected diagnoses of inflammatory rheumatic diseases were confirmed in almost 90%. This initiative demonstrates the feasibility of a rapid access service and indicates high diagnostic accuracy in such a setting. In particular, with respect to early access, it compares favorably with similar hospital-based approaches.