ReMonit

remote monitoring of patients with spondyloarthritis

Project managers

Physiotherapist | PhD

Professor Nina Østerås

Post doc

Specialist in rheumatology | PhD

Inger Jorid Berg

PhD fellow

Physical therapist

Emil Eirik Kvernberg Thomassen

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Spondyloarthritis is a serious, chronic, rheumatic joint disease that requires lifelong follow -up in the specialist health service. The purpose of this three-armed randomized, controlled study was to investigate whether two new models for follow-up are as good as today's follow-up with regular physical attendance at the outpatient clinic in relation to retaining low disease activity over time.

Experiences and results from this study can change how patients with spondyloarthritis are followed up by the specialist health service in the future.

Who could join?

Patients aged 18 and older with the diagnosis of spondyloarthritis at Diakonhjemmet Hospital were recruited if they met the inclusion criteria that were, among other things, low disease activity and stable drug treatment for the past six months.

Recruitment of participants for the study has ended.

What did the study mean?

All the study participants met for a doctor's time at the start of the study and at the end of the study after 18 months. The participants in the control group received follow -up with physical control hours at the hospital every 6 months, in line with the applicable routine when the study started in 2021. However, the participants in the two intervention groups were not set up for planned control hours during the study.

One intervention group received digital home follow -up via an app, where they reported monthly on their symptoms. A nurse contacted if the reporting indicated a worsening of the disease, and the patient was offered assessment at the hospital if they wanted this.

The second intervention group had a patient -controlled follow -up and was not set up for fixed control hours.

Participants in all three groups were instructed to contact health professionals at the hospital if they experienced a significant deterioration of ailments and wanted an assessment of the disease by health professionals.

During the study, patients answered the standardized questionnaire every 6 months on symptoms and function. They also reported whether they were satisfaction with the follow -up, about drug use and any unwanted medical events. CRP was measured regularly during the study. We have also obtained data from four national registers for health service consumption, drug use and sick leave to investigate the cost-benefit effects of the various follow-ups.

Results from the study

Both digital home follow -up and patient -controlled follow -up proved just as good for patients as traditional follow -up with regular checks. No clear differences in disease activity, function or drug use were recorded between the three follow -up models. The patients were satisfied with the follow -up, regardless of which model they participated in. Also, no differences in medical events were observed.

In in -depth interviews with patients with new follow -up models, it was stated that there were concerns about technology failure, and many patients expressed a desire to have personal contact with a therapist from time to time. At the same time, patients reported increased co -determination, more flexibility and better understanding of their own illness.

Patients with patient -controlled follow -up had the least follow -up of health care professionals in the study. This means that they were in little need of control hours and had the fewest phone calls with health professionals. The group of digital home follow -up also had little need for control hours compared to the group with traditional, regular control hours. There were most short phone calls in the digital group where many of the conversations were initiated by health professionals based on patients' reports in the app.

The study shows that new follow -up models can save patients time, while at the same time freeing up resources for health professionals to focus on patients with more serious illnesses. The new models can be good alternatives for following up people with chronic diseases in the stable phase. The study has provided important knowledge in order to meet patients with more flexible, personalized and effective models to follow up chronic illness