PACO

Collaborations with Rheumatology Professionals

Interviews with Brigham and Women’s Rheumatologists

The PACO team is interviewing approximately 15 rheumatologists and 10-15 fellows in the Brigham and Women’s Arthritis Center to better understand how doctors obtain the information they need for patient care, how doctors see their roles and the patient’s role,  and to provide insight into key areas where PACO can provide support to doctors.

During the interviews, doctors are asked about the organization of the visit, which aspects of the visit are most and least effective, where improvements could be made and which aspects of patient care are most often discussed.

Rheumatologists have offered many insights that are proving valuable in assessing where changes can be implemented in the visit. Among the most interesting reflections are: 1) They find listening to the patient for a period of time at the beginning of the visit sets a collaborative tone and often answers most of their questions. 2) A top priority is to have patients bring in their list of medications, the dosage, when they take it and whether they need refills at each visit. 3) A tool for tracking patient progress along dimensions not captured through laboratory tests and joint exams would be helpful. 4) Patients should come in with a list of concerns, questions, chronology of symptoms, and goals. Having this list would make the visit more efficient and allow more time for patient questions at the end.

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