Gaps in care and their associated drivers evident across the journey of patients with RA-associated comorbidities
| Stage of patient journey | Gaps in care | Drivers* |
|---|---|---|
| Screening | Lack of screening for comorbidity risk factors | Limited screening pathways and frameworks in place to detect comorbidities among patients with RA25 Lack of comprehensive comorbidity-specific recommendations Limited comorbidity screening26 |
| Referral | Delay in referral | Lack of HCP education on referral pathways27 Logistical and ambulatory difficulty can negatively impact outpatient attendance2 28 |
| Diagnosis | Delay in diagnosis | Comorbidities are often underdiagnosed and more likely to be diagnosed when severe26 Symptoms of RA/RA treatment can mask comorbidity signs and symptoms29 |
| Treatment and management (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) | Inadequate management of comorbidities | Inadequate communication across multidisciplinary team25 Limited recording of drug–drug interactions Patients with RA who have comorbidities do not always receive the recommended comorbidity treatment25 |
| Follow-up | Suboptimal patient outcomes | Issues with patient data inconsistencies in capturing and sharing across different systems29 Poor follow-up appointment attendance27 Increased morbidity and mortality is seen in patients with complex therapeutic needs27 |
*List of drivers not exhaustive.
HCP, healthcare professional; PCP, primary care professional; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.