title: Pilot study of a multidisciplinary gout patient education and monitoring program.
abstract: Gout patient self-management knowledge and adherence to treatment regimens are poor. Our objective was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a multidisciplinary team-based pilot program for the education and monitoring of gout patients.
  
  
  
  Subjects completed a gout self-management knowledge exam, along with gout flare history and compliance questionnaires, at enrollment and at 6 and 12 months. Each exam was followed by a nursing educational intervention via a structured gout curriculum. Structured monthly follow-up calls from pharmacists emphasized adherence to management programs. Primary outcomes were subject and provider program evaluation questionnaires at 6 and 12 months, program retention rate and success in reaching patients via monthly calls.
  
  
  
  Overall, 40/45 subjects remained in the study at 12 months. At 12 months, on a scale of 1 (most) to 5 (least), ratings of 3 or better were given by 84.6% of subjects evaluating the usefulness of the overall program in understanding and managing their gout, 81.0% of subjects evaluating the helpfulness of the nursing education program, and 50.0% of subjects evaluating the helpfulness of the calls from the pharmacists. Knowledge exam questions that were most frequently answered incorrectly on repeat testing concerned bridge therapy, the possibility of being flare-free, and the genetic component of gout.
  
  
  
  Our multidisciplinary program of gout patient education and monitoring demonstrates feasibility and acceptability. We identified variability in patient preference for components of the program and persistent patient knowledge gaps.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY; Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th St., New York, NY 10021. Electronic address: fieldst@hss.edu.
authors.forename: Theodore R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th St., New York, NY 10021.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rifaat
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY; Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th St., New York, NY 10021.
authors.forename: Arthur M F
authors.initials: AMF
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY; Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th St., New York, NY 10021.
authors.forename: Dalit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ashany
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.affiliation: Healthcare Research Institute, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Kara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th St., New York, NY 10021.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richey
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY; Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th St., New York, NY 10021.
authors.forename: Shanthini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasturi
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Adena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Batterman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006073:Gout / Q000451:nursing*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016730:Program Development; D000073278:Self-Management; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000074822:Treatment Adherence and Compliance
keywords: Gout; Gouty arthritis; Patient education; Self-care; Self-management