Task Shifting in the Care for Patients With Hand Osteoarthritis

Hand osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal conditions in an adult population, and may have large influences on an individual's function, health related quality of life, and participation in the society. In the absence of disease-modifying interventions, occupational therapy, comprising information, hand exercises, assistive devices and orthoses/splints, is considered as core treatment. In Norway, people with hand osteoarthritis are increasingly referred to consultation by a rheumatologist in specialist health care. At the same time a shortage of rheumatologists nationwide is stressing the healthcare system's capacity, and rheumatologists time should therefore primarily be allocated to patients in which early diagnosis and medical treatment are essential.

The World Health Organization recommend task-shifting as one method of strengthening and expanding the health workforce. Such models rely on other healthcare providers in expanded clinical roles, where physiotherapists, nurses or occupational therapists working in collaboration with physicians and other team members have their own patients for whom they provide health care services.

In this randomized controlled trial, we will test if a new model, where patients referred to consultation in specialist health care receive their first consultation by an occupational therapy specialist, is as safe and effective as the traditional model, where they receive their first consultation by a rheumatologist.

Inclusion criteria

• Hand osteoarthritis diagnosed by physician in primary care, referred for consultation in specialist health care, and ability to communicate in Norwegian.

Exclusion criteria

• Exclusion criteria were cognitive or mental impairment, possible inflammatory rheumatic disease (SR>40 or CRP>20, or patient confirming having psoriasis during telephone screening).