Significance and importance of network between nurses and regional medical cooperation in rheumatism clinics

Abstract

Under situations with a lack of rheumatologists and rheumatology nurses, close cooperation with surrounding hospitals and clinics brings several benefits. These benefits are early diagnosis and treatment by rheumatologists, prompt hospitalization for disease flare or comorbidities, and continuous treatment. However, the effectiveness of medical cooperation in the rheumatology field is uncertain.

As a rheumatology clinic with doctor and nurses, we have collaborate in 4 ways: with（1）other clinics, （2）general hospitals, （3）home-care programs, and（4）medical facilities in other prefectures. We retrospectively analyzed our referral data. Our results suggest that these interactive alignments are important for a new diagnosis of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis among patients with arthritis who had initially visited local clinics. In addition, advice from comedicals including pharmacists, care managers, and nurses at other healthcare centers were helpful in promoting early visits to a rheumatology clinic. We believe that close cooperation by physicians as well as nurses’ networks would be one of the keys to eliminating regional gaps in healthcare services in the field of rheumatology.