Rheumatoid Arthritis Shared Decision Making

Description

Shared decision making is the first overarching principle for the treat to target guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and has been proposed as a potential mechanism to reduce health disparities, however there is little evidence to inform effective ways to implement this practice in the care of Veterans with RA. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component shared decision making intervention on RA disease activity, adherence to RA medications and patient knowledge of RA. The proposed research will contribute to fundamental knowledge about how to effectively foster shared decision making across varied VA rheumatology clinical settings to improve patient disease outcomes and experience; and support clinicians to engage patients in meaningful ways with the ultimate goal to improve health, reduce disability, and eliminate disparities.

Conditions

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Shared decision making is the first overarching principle for the treat to target guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and has been proposed as a potential mechanism to reduce health disparities, however there is little evidence to inform effective ways to implement this practice in the care of Veterans with RA. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component shared decision making intervention on RA disease activity, adherence to RA medications and patient knowledge of RA. The proposed research will contribute to fundamental knowledge about how to effectively foster shared decision making across varied VA rheumatology clinical settings to improve patient disease outcomes and experience; and support clinicians to engage patients in meaningful ways with the ultimate goal to improve health, reduce disability, and eliminate disparities.

Implementation of Shared Decision Making in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Stepped Wedge, Cluster-randomized Trial

Rheumatoid Arthritis Shared Decision Making

Condition
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

San Francisco

San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, San Francisco, California, United States, 94121

Wilmington

Wilmington VA Medical Center, Wilmington, DE, Wilmington, Delaware, United States, 19805-4917

Portland

VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, Portland, Oregon, United States, 97207-2964

Philadelphia

Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Meet administrative data definition of rheumatoid arthritis (see recruitment section)
  • * Receive rheumatology outpatient care at participating clinics and seen at least once in prior 12 months
  • * Age 18 years or older
  • * English speaking
  • * Moderate to high RA disease activity within 18 months prior to enrollment
  • * Have held a leadership position within their respective institution for minimum of 12 months prior to enrollment
  • * Have worked in the rheumatology clinic setting at their respective institution for minimum of 12 months prior
  • * Cognitive impairment
  • * Inability to speak
  • * Have held a leadership position within their respective institution for \<12 months
  • * Have worked in a clinic setting other than rheumatology
  • * Have worked in a clinic setting \<12 months

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

VA Office of Research and Development,

Jennifer Barton, MD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR

Study Record Dates

2026-03-31