20.500.12556/ReVIS-11260 A mixed-methods study of patient and healthcare professional perceptions of care pathways for knee osteoarthritis Background: This study aimed to address research gap concerning the perception of the care pathway for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients, focusing on both the patient and health professional perspectives in countries with inefficient health systems, such as Slovenia, by examining patient satisfaction with conservative treatment, assessing the perceptions of both patients and health professionals regarding the latter's involvement, and justifying the chosen KOA treatment approaches. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with KOA patients (n = 82) and healthcare professionals (n = 68). Results: The care pathway for conservative KOA treatment in Slovenia begins with general practitioners (GPs), who conduct initial examinations, prescribe analgesics, and refer patients to radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons. GPs received high satisfaction ratings (μ = 4.32). Orthopaedic surgeons, who confirm diagnoses and create treatment plans involving physiotherapy, medication, or joint injections, also received high satisfaction scores (μ = 4.47), despite long waiting times. Consultations with radiologists, mentioned less frequently, again received high satisfaction scores (μ = 4.67). Physiotherapists, consulted later, received high satisfaction scores (μ = 4.16) but long waiting times resurfaced. Referrals to rheumatologists occur for systemic diseases or ineffective conservative treatments. Psychologists, occupational therapists, and dieticians are rarely consulted, indicating limited integration into the treatment pathway. A comparison of health professionals' involvement showed that health professionals consider GP involvement less necessary (μ = 2.47) than patients do (μ = 2.82, p = 0.015). The same applies to radiologists (μ = 2.47 vs. μ = 2.87, p = 0.004), reflecting different views on diagnostic imaging. Our qualitative investigation revealed that, due to long waiting times, an alternative care pathway is developing with orthopaedic surgeons as the initial point of contact, bypassing GPs, and highlighted that patients and healthcare professionals differently perceive the latter's treatment roles. Conclusions: The current conservative KOA care pathway lacks initial lifestyle change advice from the GP, referrals for conservative treatments, and a multidisciplinary team engaged in regular treatment monitoring and adjustment. Our mixed-methods research approach highlighted significant differences in perceptions of the treatment process and the roles of health professionals; the knowledge supplied of those differences should support experts and policymakers to optimise care pathways in Slovenia. conservative treatment health professional involvement integrated care pathway knee osteoarthritis patient satisfaction Slovenia konzervativno zdravljenje ključevanje zdravstvenih delavcev integrirana pot oskrbe osteoartritis kolena zadovoljstvo pacientov Slovenija true false false Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Neznano 2024-12-24 09:41:43 2024-12-24 09:41:43 2025-02-07 03:18:12 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2024 0 0 Soavtorji: Karmen Erjavec, Sabina Krsnik, Petra Kotnik, Mohsen Hussein; Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 24. 12. 2024; str. 1-12 iss. 1, [article no.] 435 Vol. 25 2024 0000-00-00 NiDoloceno NiDoloceno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 2024-01-01 616.72-002(497.4) 2731-4553 220380163 10.1186/s12875-024-02690-0 https://bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-024-02690-0 1 e7c4bf60-c1d2-11ef-ba3f-001a4af901a5 https://revis.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=12873 RAZ_Kristof_Mirt_Pika_2024.pdf RAZ_Kristof_Mirt_Pika_2024.pdf 1 15BF63DC79B55F844DB6FFA6CD2FD042 c2754dcfa9ed89451c8c0de84ef04a8b4db536ac298a7e32b545551593373c06 4fcb5dd4-c1d3-11ef-ba3f-001a4af901a5 https://revis.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=12874 Univerza v Novem mestu - Fakulteta za zdravstvene vede 0 0 0