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Purpose: The pressure on professionals within the healthcare workforce is increasing due to staffing shortages, economic demands and changing care models. Through boundary work theories, our study explores how task-shifting in hand osteoarthritis (OA) care impacts the professional boundaries and division of labor between rheumatologists and occupational therapists (OTs) in Norwegian specialist healthcare. Methodology: Seventeen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted at two hospitals in Norway. Participants included ten rheumatologists and five OTs. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The analysis resulted in three themes (1) Forms of responsibility and task transfers, (2) Circumventing the rules to ensure efficient practices and appropriate patient care, (3) Broadening and specializing; movement of professional demarcations. Overall, we found that medical tasks in hand OA care are increasingly delegated to, and adopted by, OTs, blurring the rheumatologist-OT boundary. Some of the task delegations skirted Norwegian legal boundaries, in efforts to streamline clinic operations. OTs expanded their scope of practice by adopting new tasks, whereas rheumatologist increased their specialist status by shedding unwanted tasks. Conclusion: Task shifting between rheumatologists and OTs in hand OA care was characterized by boundary blurring activities. The results support a shift in hand OA management from rheumatologists to OTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify and describe behavior change techniques (BCTs) used in rehabilitation for patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), according to their own perceptions. Further, to examine patients' descriptions of their capability, opportunity, motivation, and readiness for health behavior change. Patients and Methods: Patients were adults in need of specialized, multidisciplinary rehabilitation services due to inflammatory rheumatic disease, systemic connective tissue disease, or fibromyalgia / chronic widespread pain. Semi-structured interviews of 21 patients were analyzed with deductive qualitative content analysis applying three theoretical frameworks: the Behavior Change Technique Taxonomy, the transtheoretical model and stages of change, and the capability, opportunity, and motivation model of behavior. Results: Forty-six BCTs aggregated within 14 BCT groups were identified used by either patients, healthcare professionals (HPs), or both. Goals and planning, feedback and monitoring, social support, shaping knowledge, repetition and substitution were most frequently used to facilitate behavior change. Twenty patients had reached the action stage and made specific lifestyle changes concerning more than half of their goals. Concerning other goals, 6 of these patients reported to be contemplating behavior change and 15 to be preparing for it. The rehabilitation process appeared to strengthen capability, opportunity, motivation, and the desired behaviors. Patient-reported barriers to behavior change were connected with restrictions in physical capability resulting from an unpredictable and fluctuating disease course, weakened motivation, and contextual factors, such as lack of access to healthcare support and training facilities, and high domestic care burden. Conclusion: The rehabilitation process seemed to strengthen individual and contextual prerequisites for behavior change and facilitate the use of required techniques and engagement in the desired behaviors. However, patients with RMDs may need prolonged support from HPs to integrate healthy lifestyle changes into everyday life. The findings can be used to optimize rehabilitation interventions and patients' persistent engagement in healthy behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate how a quality improvement program (BRIDGE), designed to promote coordination and continuity in rehabilitation services, was delivered and perceived by providers in routine practice for patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. A convergent mixed methods approach was nested within a stepped-wedge, randomized controlled trial. The intervention program was developed to bridge gaps between secondary and primary healthcare, comprising the following elements: motivational interviewing; patient-specific goal setting; written rehabilitation-plans; personalized feedback on progress; and tailored follow-up. Data from health professionals who delivered the program were collected and analyzed separately, using two questionnaires and three focus groups. Results were integrated during the overall interpretation and discussion. The program delivery depended on the providers' skills and competence, as well as on contextual factors in their teams and institutions. Suggested possibilities for improvements included follow-up with sufficient support from next of kin and external services, and the practicing of action and coping plans, standardized outcome measures, and feedback on progress. Leaders and clinicians should discuss efforts to ensure confident and qualified rehabilitation delivery at the levels of individual providers, teams, and institutions, and pay equal attention to each component in the process from admission to follow-up. Quality in rehabilitation should be characterized by a continuous and coordinated process from goal setting to follow-up. To improve the quality, sufficient involvement of next of kin and external services is needed. Clinicians may need training to build confidence in motivational interviewing, action- and coping planning, feedback on progress, and follow-up. Leaders should organize education sessions, optimize schedules, insert standardized outcome measures, and facilitate collaboration across levels of care and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a common form of OA, for which education and exercise are considered the first‐line treatment. The aim of the present study was to examine pain and perceived hand function in participants following 3 months of digitally delivered first‐line treatment for hand OA. Three‐hundred‐and‐seventy‐nine of 846 participants with clinical signs and symptoms of hand OA completed the study. The digital hand OA treatment program consists of video instructed daily exercises and patient education through text lessons. Pain (NRS, 0 no pain, 10 worst) was the primary outcome, and stiffness (NRS) and the Functional Index for Hand OsteoArthritis (FIHOA, 0 best, 30 worst) were among secondary outcomes. The McNemar test and linear mixed effect regression model were used to assess the changes in outcomes from baseline to 3‐month. After three months, the digitally delivered program was associated with a significant decrease in pain intensity (mean change −1.30 (95% CI −1.49, −1.12)) and hand stiffness (mean change ‐0.81 (95% CI −1.02, −0.60)) but no conclusive changes in the FIHOA scores (mean change 0.3 (95% CI −0.2, 0.7)). The results agree with reports on face‐to‐face delivered first‐line treatment for hand OA suggesting that digital treatment is a viable treatment option in patients with hand OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is limited knowledge regarding the impact of rehabilitation on work ability. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with work ability 12 months following a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program in a cohort with different diagnoses. Methods: Of 9108 potentially eligible participants for the RehabNytte research project, 3731 were eligible for the present study, and 2649 participants (mean age 48.6 years, 71% female) consented to contribute with work-related data, and were included. Self-perceived work ability was assessed by the Work Ability Score (WAS) (0–10, 10 = best), during the follow-up period using paired t-tests and logistic regression to examine associations between demographic and disease-related factors and work ability at 12-month follow-up. Results: The mean baseline WAS for the total cohort was 3.53 (SD 2.97), and increased significantly to 4.59 (SD 3.31) at 12-month follow-up. High work ability (WAS ≥ 8) at 12 months was associated with high self-perceived health at the baseline (OR 3.83, 95% CI 2.45, 5.96), while low work ability was associated with a higher number of comorbidities (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.11, 0.61), medium pain intensity (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.38, 0.83) and being married or cohabiting (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.43, 0.88). There were no significant differences in work ability between participants receiving occupational and standard rehabilitation. Conclusions: Work ability increased significantly over the follow-up period. High work ability at 12-month follow-up was associated with high self-perceived health at baseline, while being married or cohabiting, having higher number of comorbidities, and experiencing medium baseline pain intensity was associated with lower work ability. Rehabilitation interventions targeting these factors may potentially enhance work ability, leading to a positive impact on work participation among people in need of rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue is a common symptom of inflammatory rheumatic disease and has a great impact on everyday life. Activity-pacing is proposed as an intervention to increase participation in meaningful activities. To explore participants' experiences with an activity-pacing group, how participants perceived self-managing everyday life after group attendance, and their reflections on unmet needs that could enhance self-management of everyday life with fatigue. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had attended an activity-pacing group. Thematic analyses were conducted. Prior to group attendance, the participants expressed an awareness of their lack of knowledge of fatigue. Through group attendance, they increased their understanding of fatigue and their ability to apply strategies to better manage everyday life. Participants found it difficult to balance their energy use and realised that implementing activity-pacing strategies takes time. Therefore, they requested follow-up sessions with the activity-pacing group. They also desire that rheumatologists pay more attention to and acknowledge fatigue. Enhancing the understanding of fatigue and how to manage everyday life with fatigue, appears to be important. Group interventions led by occupational therapists and with a focus on activity-pacing may be a suitable approach. Follow-up sessions are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follow-up care (FU-care) and self-management are recognized as important to ensure prolonged effects of rehabilitation. Objectives of this study were to explore current FU-care and self-management after specialized rehabilitation for patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. This multicentre cohort study included 523 patients who self-reported need and plans for FU-care and plans for self-management activities (SMAs) at rehabilitation discharge. The FU-care received and adherence to SMA were self-reported after 4-, 8-, and 12-months. Predictors for received FU-care and adherence to SMA were explored in multiple logistic regression models. Plans for FU-care were significantly associated with received FU-care. Younger age, better coping skills, and performing regular social activities and hobbies were significant predictors for received FU-care. Throughout the follow-up year, 221 (51%) participants had adherence to their SMA plans. Older age, regular physical activity, more severe pain, and performing regular social activities and hobbies were significant predictors for adherence to SMA. Participants with SMA adherence more often reported planned FU-care, and more frequently received the FU-care they needed. Planning FU-care should be integrated in specialized rehabilitation. Patients with poor coping skills and sedentary lifestyle may need more support over longer time to implement behavioral changes for healthy self-management. Planning follow-up should be integrated in specialized rehabilitation as it supports self-management and receiving follow-up at home. Patients with sedentary lifestyle, poor coping skills, and depression may need more support over longer time to implement healthy self-management. Structure and routines in daily life enhance self-management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the content and attainment of rehabilitation goals the first year after rehabilitation among patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Participants (n = 523) recorded goals in the Patient Specific Functional Scale at admission and reported goal attainment at admission, discharge, and 12 months after rehabilitation on an 11-point numeric rating scale. Goal content was linked to the ICF coding system and summarized as high, maintained, or no attainment. Changes in absolute scores were investigated using paired samples t-tests. Goals had high attainment with a significant positive change (–1.83 [95% CI −2.0, −1.65], p > 0.001) during rehabilitation, whereas goals had no attainment with a significant negative change (0.36 [0.14, 0.57], p > 0.001) between discharge and 12 months after rehabilitation. Goals focusing on everyday routines, physical health, pain management, and social or work participation were highly attained during rehabilitation. Goals that were difficult to enhance or maintain after rehabilitation addressed everyday routines, physical health, and work participation. The positive changes in goal attainment largely occurred during rehabilitation, but they appeared more difficult to maintain at home. Therefore, rehabilitation goals should be reflected in the follow-up care planned at discharge. The contents of rehabilitation goals reflect the complexity and wide range of challenges patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases experience. Positive changes in goal attainment largely occur during rehabilitation and appear to be more difficult to enhance or maintain at home. Rehabilitation interventions and follow-up care should be tailored to support patients in maintaining their attained goals for healthy self-management. Rehabilitation goals should be reflected in the follow-up care planned at discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]