Osteoarthritis of the knee clinical care standard indicators: 6c-Proportion of patients with knee osteoarthritis who have documented pain level reduction of at least 20%, 12 months after initiation or change of treatment

Collection and usage attributes

45 years

Pain level reduction should be measured using a clinically validated tool (Neogi 2013). Providers of care to patients with knee osteoarthritis can use a local tool, but need to ensure that the same tool is used with the same patients at different time points to measure change in pain. The results of the assessment should be documented in the patient's clinical notes maintained by the practice (paper or electronic).

The 12-month time period is an approximation, and can mean between 11 and 13 months inclusive.

'Documented' in the phrase 'documented initiation or change of pharmacological and/or non-pharmacological treatment' means that the patient's treatment plan is entered into the patient's clinical notes maintained by the practice (paper or electronic). 'Change' within the same phrase means that a previous plan has been updated with a new plan, and this will provide a new measure of the patient's level of pain which will be compared with that taken 12 months later.

Presented as a percentage.

(Numerator ÷ denominator) x 100

Number of patients with knee osteoarthritis who have a documented reduction in their level of pain by at least 20% at 12 months after documented initiation or change of pharmacological and/or non-pharmacological treatment.

Number of patients with knee osteoarthritis with documented initiation or change of pharmacological and/or non-pharmacological treatment.

Note that health services may not necessarily achieve 100% for this indicator, even when providing appropriate treatment, as there may be patients whose pain levels do not improve despite appropriate clinical intervention. For the patients that do not achieve at least 20% reduction in their pain level 12 months after initiation or change of pharmacological and/or non-pharmacological treatment (i.e. those excluded from the numerator), this indicator should be used to review whether the interventions for these patients were appropriate, and to monitor the health service’s effectiveness in reducing patients’ pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee over time.

Representational attributes

N[NN]

Accountability attributes

Applicable setting: all healthcare settings where care is provided to patients with knee osteoarthritis, including primary care, specialist care, hospitals and community settings.

Source and reference attributes

Neogi T 2013. The Epidemiology and Impact of Pain in Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and cartilage / OARS, Osteoarthritis Research Society 21(9): 1145-1153.