What is the approach to this patient?

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Last updated: March 8, 2025 • View editorial policy

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From the Guidelines

The approach to this patient should prioritize a comprehensive management plan that includes educational, behavioral, psychosocial, and physical interventions, as well as topical, oral, and intraarticular medications, with a focus on individualized treatment based on the patient's personal beliefs, medical status, and preferences, as recommended by the 2019 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the management of osteoarthritis 1.

Key Considerations

  • A comprehensive assessment is necessary, including a detailed history, physical examination, and appropriate investigations to determine the best course of treatment.
  • Treatment decisions should take into account the patient's medical status, comorbidities, and personal preferences, as well as the potential risks and benefits of different interventions.
  • The management plan should be individualized and may include a combination of physical, psychological, and pharmacologic therapies, with a focus on improving symptoms, function, and quality of life.
  • The patient's response to treatment should be regularly assessed and the management plan adjusted as needed to ensure optimal outcomes.

Individualized Treatment Approach

  • The approach to treatment should be tailored to the individual patient's needs and circumstances, taking into account factors such as age, comorbidities, and access to services.
  • The patient's personal beliefs and preferences should be respected and incorporated into the treatment plan, with a focus on promoting patient autonomy and self-management.
  • The treatment plan should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in managing the patient's symptoms and improving their quality of life.

Evidence-Based Recommendations

  • The 2019 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the management of osteoarthritis provides evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of osteoarthritis, including the use of topical, oral, and intraarticular medications, as well as physical and psychological interventions 1.
  • The guideline emphasizes the importance of individualized treatment and the need to consider the patient's personal beliefs, medical status, and preferences when developing a treatment plan.
  • The guideline also highlights the importance of regular follow-up and assessment to ensure that the treatment plan is effective and to make adjustments as needed to optimize outcomes.

From the Research

Approach to the Patient

The approach to the patient involves several key components, including:

  • Patient understanding: patients must grasp a body of information that reasonably reflects a responsible body of medical professionals' best estimate of the truth, to a degree that meets a context-specific threshold 2
  • Patient-centeredness: this approach involves exploring both the disease and illness with the patient, understanding the whole person, finding common ground regarding management, incorporating prevention and health promotion, enhancing the doctor-patient relationship, and embracing patient-centered care 3
  • Effective communication: patients need information and motivation to play an active role in their health care, and they prefer oral and written information provided by nurses and physicians 4
  • Informed consent: patients' medical treatment decisions are informed when they have a full and current explanation of their health problems and treatment options, and when they can make autonomous decisions based on this information 5

Key Principles

Some key principles of the approach to the patient include:

  • Patient autonomy: patients have the right to make autonomous decisions about their health care, and healthcare professionals have a responsibility to support and respect this autonomy 2, 5
  • Collaboration: patients and healthcare professionals should work together to make decisions about health care, using a patient-centered approach 6, 3
  • Communication: effective communication is essential for patient-centered care, and healthcare professionals should provide patients with clear and accurate information about their health care 4
  • Health literacy: healthcare professionals should take steps to improve patients' health literacy, including providing information in a way that is easy to understand and using written and oral communication 4

References

1
Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

2
Research

Patient understanding: How should it be defined and assessed in clinical practice?

Journal of evaluation in clinical practice, 2023

3
Research

Patient-centeredness: a new approach.

Nephrology news & issues, 2002

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Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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