Osteoarthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Osteoarthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

The effect of web-based, personalized, osteoarthritis quality improvement feedback on patient satisfaction with osteoarthritis care.

Sciamanna CN, Harrold LR, Manocchia M, Walker NJ, Mui S

Department of Health Policy, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. chris.sciamanna@jefferson.edu

To address gaps in the quality of care for osteo-arthritis, the authors developed a Web-based computer program to provide patients with personalized feedback designed to improve the quality of their osteoarthritis care. The current study was designed to examine satisfaction as well as the potential effects of the feedback on patients' perceptions of their osteoarthritis care by randomizing patients to use the site before or after they answered questions about the quality of their osteoarthritis care. On average, participants received 8.7 recommendations to change their osteoarthritis care. Satisfaction with osteo-arthritis care was similar between subjects in both groups. Most subjects believed that the Web site would help them get better care from their doctor (77.7%), and most would recommend it to others (94.3%). Overall, the Web site is well accepted and has no negative effect on patients' satisfaction with their osteo-arthritis care.

Published 13 June 2005 in Am J Med Qual, 20(3): 127-37.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Osteoarthritis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.