title: The patient perspective: arthritis care provided by Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care program-trained clinicians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess patient satisfaction with the arthritis care services provided by graduates of the Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care (ACPAC) program.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional evaluation using a self-report questionnaire for data collection. Participants completed the Patient-Doctor Interaction Scale, modified to capture patient-practitioner interactions. Participants completed selected items from the Group Health Association of America's Consumer Satisfaction Survey, and items capturing quality of care, appropriateness of wait times, and a comparison of extended-role practitioner (ERP) services with previously received arthritis care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 325 patients seen by 27 ERPs from 15 institutions completed the questionnaire. Respondents were primarily adults (85%), female (72%), and living in urban areas (79%). The mean age of participants was 54 years (range 3-92 years), and 51% were not working. Patients with inflammatory (51%) and noninflammatory conditions (31%) were represented. Mean (standard deviation) Patient-Practitioner Interaction Scale subscale scores ranged from 4.50 (0.60) to 4.63 (0.48) (1 to 5 [greater satisfaction]). Overall satisfaction with the quality of care was high (4.39 [0.77]), as was satisfaction with wait times (referral to appointment, 4.27 [0.86]; in clinic, 4.24 [0.91]). Ninety-eight percent of respondents felt the arthritis care they received was comparable to or better than that previously received from other health care professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients were very satisfied with and amenable to arthritis care provided by graduates of the ACPAC program. Our findings provide early support for the deployment and integration of ACPAC ERPs into the Ontario health care system and should inform future evaluation at the patient level.
authors: Learning Institute, Hospital for Sick Children.
authors: Kelly
authors: K
authors: Warmington
authors: Musculoskeletal Health and Outcomes Research, St Michael's Hospital.
authors: Carol A
authors: CA
authors: Kennedy
authors: Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.
authors: Katie
authors: K
authors: Lundon
authors: University Health Network.
authors: Leslie J
authors: LJ
authors: Soever
authors: Ontario Division, Arthritis Society.
authors: Sydney C
authors: SC
authors: Brooks
authors: Toronto Western Hospital.
authors: Laura A
authors: LA
authors: Passalent
authors: Division of Rheumatology, St Michael's Hospital.
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Shupak
authors: Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors: Rayfel
authors: R
authors: Schneider
keywords: arthritis; continuing; education; occupational therapy; patient satisfaction; physical therapists