The primary goal of this study is to determine whether providing patient honoraria and/or outreach services can improve the attendance rate of appointments at an inner city rheumatology clinic in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The main question it aims to answer are:
* Does providing a financial honorarium ($20 for each follow-up appointment with completed bloodwork) improve attendance rate at an inner city rheumatology clinic? * Does providing a personalized outreach service for rheumatic diseases improve attendance rate at an inner city rheumatology clinic?
The researchers will compare providing patient honoraria to providing both honoraria and outreach services, and compare each of these to the regular appointment schedule without honoraria or outreach.
Participants will:
* Undergo randomization to receive honoraria or honoraria and outreach services together * Complete surveys about their health and understanding of their rheumatic disease at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month intervals * Visit the clinic every month for check-ups and monitoring bloodwork if they are started on immunosuppressants for their condition
Have a diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis secondary to an autoimmune rheumatic disease
Be attached to one of the Vancouver Coastal Health Community Health Centres for primary care
Be willing to attend in-person appointments at Pender Community Health Centre
Be at least 18 years of age and capable of consenting to participation
Have cognitive impairment or an untreated psychiatric condition that would severely impair ability to engage with outreach or treatment
Have no reasonably reliable method of contact (phone, email, social media, etc.)
University of British Columbia
Lead sponsor
Mary Pack Arthritis Center
Collaborator