Article Text
Abstract
Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) requires immunosuppressive treatments. Patients who are taking these require a specific surveillance and need to be aware of related safety issues.
Objectives The objective of our project was to produce easy-to-carry information fact-sheets containing relevant and medically-sound data on various RA treatements.
Methods ANDAR, a French non profit patient organization, gathered RA patients to design the most convenient/efficient format for such patient information fact-sheets. Then, a scientific committee composed of rheumatologists produced the content with the help of ANDAR and a patient-centered medical information agency (EmPatient).
Two taskforces belonging to the Société Française de Rhumatologie contributed to the content : the Inflammatory Rheumatism Club (which is in charge of working on drug fact-sheets for healthcare professionals) and the Patient Education Taskforce.
Results Selected RA patients chose a paper format which, once folded, fits in a wallet. Thus, the fact-sheets may be carried everywhere and are available at all time to answer safety-related issues. The scientific committee worked under this constraint to list essential information and key points. The goal was to produce a fact-sheet for each molecule prescribed against RA.
These fact-sheets form a collection entitled « Things to know… for a better life with your treatment ». The collection was systematically sent to all hospital-based and independant rheumatologists to distribute to their patients. Fact-sheets are also available for free through ANDAR, nurses and local patient education programs.
Each fact-sheet features « Key points to memorize », a detailed explanation of the molecule (action mechanisms, dosage, side effects, etc.), some FAQ and a card to be completed with the brand name and the prescribed dose, in French and in English.
Conclusions Today, 8 fact-sheets have been produced and more than 34,000 copies (total) have been distributed. Patients and healthcare professionals have expressed their wish to see the missing molecules be included in the collection as soon as possible.
Acknowledgements We would like to thank Dr Laure Gossec, Dr Laurent Grange, Dr S. Jousse Joulain, Dr Thao Pham, Claude Farès, Anne-Laure Roubaud, la SFR, and Stephane Korsia Meffre.
Disclosure of Interest None Declared