Advances in therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over the past 2 decades combined with treat-to-target strategies have yielded significant improvements in patient outcomes. However, despite these gains, more than 1 in 3 patients fail to achieve remission, limited by global health issues such as quality of life (QoL) concerns, uncontrolled pain, fatigue, and sleep issues. To close these practice gaps, experts have advocated for a “dual-target” strategy with the goal of person-centered care that addresses not only disease activity, but also the surrounding illness. In this educational series, physicians and their patients discuss approaches to “dual-target” person-centered care, enhanced patient–practitioner communication, approaches to RA care that prioritize empathic communication, meaningful assessment of QoL as well as integration of wellness strategies into the management of RA and a care plan.
Outline goals most often favored by clinicians and patients with RA.
Critically appraise the data on QoL measurements, including PROMIS measures, and how they may contribute to assessing patients’ needs.
Summarize how QoL measures can be integrated into daily practice.
Identify advanced communications skills that have been demonstrated to improve QoL.
Critically appraise the data on the adjunctive use of wellness strategies such as nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management in the management of patients with RA.
These activities are directed to rheumatologists, and other health care professionals involved in the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Leonard Calabrese, DO
Professor of Medicine
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University
R.J. Fasenmyer Chair of Clinical Immunology
Orthopaedic and Rheumatologic Institute
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
This CME activity was produced by the Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education, Cleveland Clinic's RJ Fasenmyer Center for Clinical Immunology, and educational partner, Vindico Education.