TEAM APPROACH: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE MANAGEMENT OF HIP AND KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis of the hip and knee is common and contributes substantially to the global burden of disability, comorbid disease, and health-care expenditure. Osteoarthritis is traditionally managed with nonoperative and operative interventions that demonstrate substantial variations in costs, utilization, and access to care. The provision of these treatments by a range of health-care professionals lends itself to a coordinated, multidisciplinary team approach. This review characterizes a team approach in the management of hip and knee osteoarthritis from a systems perspective, describes an integrated care delivery model targeting lower-extremity joint pain, and illustrates this model's functionality with the case of a 69-year-old overweight man with severe bilateral knee osteoarthritis and depression. A comprehensive team approach involves multiple disciplines that are fully accountable and responsive to the needs, preferences, and values of patients over the full episode of care. Future studies should assess, for individuals with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee, the impact of different team approaches and models of care on health outcomes, health-care spending, and utilization.