Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan SMV, Mo WHJ, Tsang SWD, Chang SPV, Poon WFD
Affiliation :
Occupational Therapy Department, Prince of Wales Hospital
Introduction :
The Collaborative O&T and FM Service Model in Managing SOPC Service Demand (FM-ORT Collaboration Program) was the first batch launched in Prince of Wales Hospital on 25/9/2017. It aimed at shorten PWH O&T SOPC new case waiting time by triage appropriate routine cases to FMSC according to pre-agreed selection criteria. So, it could decrease the Orthopaedic SOPD waiting time by triaging patient to FMSC for early management. The allied health resources could fully utilize and support the increasing demand of new cases with knee osteoarthritis referred by FMSC under this program.
Objectives :
A prospective evaluation of Occupational Therapy (OT) intervention for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA Knee) in FM-ORT Collaboration Program.
Methodology :
This prospective pre-& post study recruited patients during April, 2018 to May, 2020 in OT Department. Each patient had received a standardized treatment regime including 1) education class, 2) self-management & efficacy skills for pain control, 3) equipment training for ADL functions, 4) home exercises for muscle stretching & 5) gentle strengthening. Outcome measurement included self-designed questionnaire, Hong Kong Version of Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HK-KOOs), Chinese version of Arthritis Self Efficacy Scale (ASES-8) at baseline (Session 1) & post intervention (Session 6). Telephone follow-up conducted upon patients discharged for 3 months. Paired T-test and Wilcoxon Sign Rank test were used to analyze the data. All statistical test were 2-sided with significance level p<0.05.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 267 subjects were recruited. The mean score of HK-KOOS had no statistically significant in pain (p=0.22), symptoms (p=0.32), ADL (p=0.3), and QOL (p=0.15) but statistically significant in Sport/Rec (p=0.002*) only. The mean score of ASES-8 (p=0.00*) and knee pain (p=0.000*) showed statistically significant. It also showed statistically significant in decreasing analgesics taken (p=0.00*), increasing exercise frequency (p=0.00*), increasing time spent of exercise (p=0.009*), improving self-efficacy of pain control (p=0.000*) and continuing home exercise (p=0.00*).In conclusion, OT for OA knee patients in FM-ORT Collaboration Program showed positive effect in improving patient’s self-efficacy with increased exercise habit. Besides, significant decreased pain & use of analgesics and thus reduced the necessity to consult the SOPD after 6 treatment sessions were promising. The condition was well maintained even upon discharged for 3 months. In conclusion, OT early intervention could facilitate the significant contribution to manage SOPC service demand in FM-ORT Collaboration Program and prevent the worsening of knee pain for further medical provision.
