title: Health planning in rheumatic diseases. Elaboration of a master plan for rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases of Catalonia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rheumatic diseases (RDs) are among the most common chronic health problems of the Catalan adult population. They cause important problems for individuals, their families and for the society overall, with high direct and indirect economic costs. The Department of Health of Catalonia promoted the creation of a Master Plan for the rheumatic diseases, as a tool for planning an integral approach to these problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To present the work methodology that has been used in the development of the Master Plan and its final proposals.
  
  
  METHODS
  First an analysis of the burden caused by these problems in our community was performed and the objectives of the Plan were established. Later, strategic lines were defined and work groups organized to analyze proposals for improvement, which after consensus were accepted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proposals of the Plan comprise actions in the scope of prevention, rationalization in the use of resources and the formation of professionals among others. Changes in the health care model for RDs were proposed in order to improve specialized and primary care coordination with clinics and musculoskeletal functional units.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Master Plan recommends actions to improve the attention of the population through operative planning and the services to different providers. The Master Plan will establish the health policy action lines directed against these disorders.
authors.affiliation: Plan director de las enfermedades reumáticas y del aparato locomotor, Dirección General de Planificación y Evaluación, Departamento de Salud, Generalitat de Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Larrosa
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Surís
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pueyo
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Auleda
authors.forename: María Luísa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: de la Puente
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006285:Health Planning; D006288:Health Planning Organizations; D006291:Health Policy; D006292:Health Priorities; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D018855:Single-Payer System; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013222:State Medicine