CLINICIAN STANDARDS
Comprehensive Quality Care Standards for Osteoarthritis of the Hip & Knee
This is the clinician version of the standards. The version for individuals with osteoarthritis is here.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis and is a chronic, progressive condition with no cure. As Albertans live longer and with higher rates of obesity, the prevalence of OA continues to increase, particularly in the lower limbs. OA of the hip and knee joints can significantly impact a person’s mobility and quality of life.
These nine care standards support care for adults with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. The nine standards focus on assessment, diagnosis, treatment, self-management, and measurement of this condition for people across all health care settings.
Setting Up for Success
Standard 1
Clinical Assessment for Osteoarthritis
Standard 2
Developing a Care Plan
Standard 3
Tailoring Treatments
Core Treatments
Standard 4
Core Treatment 1: Osteoarthritis Education
Standard 5
Core Treatment 2: Exercise & Physical Activity
Standard 6
Core Treatment 3: Weight Management
Rounding Out the OA Journey
Standard 7
Adjunct Treatments
Standard 8
Referral for Joint Surgery
Standard 9
Measuring Quality of Care
About the Standards
Comprehensive Quality Care Standards for Osteoarthritis of the Hip and Knee includes nine consensus-based statements that draw on the evidence to guide the ideal conservative care for individuals with osteoarthritis (OA) in Alberta. These standards guide the reader through a conservative OA care journey, while still acknowledging that each individual will have a unique OA journey and care should be tailored to them. This body of work is living and will be reviewed annually. These standards were authored by the Conservative OA Clinical Committee. The committee worked on behalf of the Bone and Joint Health Strategic Clinical Network (BJH SCN) and was supported by the Institute for Improved Health Outcomes (IIHO).Process for updating the standards
The Conservative Osteoarthritis (OA) Clinical Committee meets annually every spring to review these Comprehensive Quality Care Standards for Osteoarthritis of the Hip and Knee.
Any clinician or individual with OA has the right to put forward a request for a change to the Comprehensive Quality Care Standards. To clarify this process, we have outlined the steps below:
- Gather as much scientific or data evidence together as you can to support the reason for your question, request or recommendation
- Summarize the evidence and your 'ask'
- Submit these items to the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute (ABJHI) by end of December of each year
- ABJHI will review the requests with the chair of the Conservative OA Clinical Committee
- If the topic is approved for clinical committee discussion, ABJHI will arrange for more in-depth investigation of evidence, as required
- Decisions made at the Conservative OA Clinical Committee meeting are documented by ABJHI
- The corresponding changes to the care standards are made by ABJHI
- The revised care standards will then be updated on the _____ and disseminated as appropriate.
Please submit your requests by end of December of each year for consideration for the clinical committee agenda of the following spring.