A quality registry approach to support patient-centred, outcomes-focused, cost-effective care in rheumatology

An estimated 60,000 people in Scotland have a rheumatology diagnosis, placing a substantial burden on the health care system and reducing patients’ quality of life. Many of these patients have difficulty accessing the information and resources they need to maintain their health.

This project, led by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, will focus on improving quality of care for rheumatology patients, and facilitating shared decision-making. It will build on the learning from countries such as Sweden, where quality registries have been shown to lead to improvements in outcomes.

The registry will provide local teams with information for benchmarking and evaluating change, and will support quality improvement initiatives and cost management. It will increase patient involvement and self-management, and give patients a better understanding of how their condition behaves and the impact of their treatment.

The quality registry will be piloted in two health board clinics in Scotland, reaching a minimum of 200 patients. The registry will focus on wellbeing measures and clinical outcomes, with a record of disease management for patients, which will improve communication between patients and their clinical team.

During the pilot, the team will test and refine the registry, and clinicians will be able to apply small-scale tests of change and monitor immediate effects, for example reducing or increasing dosage.

Contact details

For further information about the project, please email David Moyle, Project Manager, NHS National Services Scotland.