PARTNER Study
This study looked at how well a new way of providing care for people with knee osteoarthritis worked compared to the usual care from their family doctor. Our research team did this by organising a study where some doctor's offices used the new PARTNER approach while others continued with their usual care.
We recruited 38 doctor's offices and 217 people with knee osteoarthritis for this study.
In the PARTNER approach, people with knee pain had an extra discussion with their doctor about the importance of staying active, doing knee exercises, and managing their weight.
They were also referred to a special care support team trained in treating knee osteoarthritis. This team provided education and helped prepare a plan for managing knee osteoarthritis through activities like exercise and weight loss, as well as other options like online therapy for sleep, mood, and pain management.
What we found:
After 12 months, we found that patients in the PARTNER group had slightly less knee pain and better knee function compared to those who received usual care from their doctors.
At 6 months the PARTNER group also had slightly lower average body mass index (BMI) and at 12 months, slightly better sleep compared to those who received usual care from their doctors.
However, there were no big differences in overall quality of life, depression, or fatigue between the two groups.
When we looked at the costs, we found that the total amount spent on medical visits and prescriptions was similar between the two groups.
In summary:
Overall, the PARTNER approach seemed to help with knee pain and function, but the improvements might not be considered very significant in real-world health practice.