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"Health care providers treating the rheumatoid arthritis population must recognize that they provide uncoordinated care, and work to improve quality of care through collaboration," says Alderman. "To create a coordinated approach, we need an international effort to collect solid data on surgical outcomes, disseminate the data to members of both specialties and to primary care providers, and design treatment plans tailored to specific disease characteristics."

The U-M researchers also hope they'll be able to help gather the data needed to prove surgery's effectiveness, and the best timing for certain operations. Kevin C. Chung, M.D., M.S., an associate professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery and the hand surgeon in these publications, will be leading a team of international researchers to study outcomes of surgical procedures in the rheumatoid population. These studies will be an important first step to bridge the gap between the two specialties.

In addition to Alderman, Chung and Ubel, the new paper's authors include David A. Fox, M.D., professor and chief of rheumatology; and H. Myra Kim, Sc.D., an associate research scientist in the biostatistics division of the U-M School of Public Health.

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Contact: Kara Gavin
kegavin@umich.edu
734-764-2220
University of Michigan Health System
25-Jul-2003