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Process mapping to understand patients pathways for National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS)

The Catalyze team were aware of the sensitive nature of this project and the responsibilities of the role they took in speaking directly with our members, all of whom provided very positive feedback of the experience

Ailsa Bosworth, Chief Executive

Services

Process Mapping

Situation

NRAS is a patient organisation, supporting individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), raising awareness of the condition and ways of improving outcomes. In recent years standards and guidelines have set out to improve patient outcomes and access to high quality care.

NRAS wanted to explore anecdotal reports that suggested standards and guidelines were not uniformly met and that the costs of these variances were significant to the individual.

Vision

The two main issues that the project set out to explore were:
  • To identify the costs related to RA in the first 3 years of diagnosis, and
  • To review the standards of care that individuals received and how this journey made sense to them in negotiating their healthcare needs.
Although only a ‘snapshot’ of the issues, the unique aspects of this study  enabled a preliminary exploration of the economic costs of variance in healthcare journeys and helps NRAS in its mission to:
  • Provide information, education, support and advocacy
  • Raise public and government awareness of RA
  • Campaign for access to better services and more funding

How Catalyze helped

Interviews were held with twenty four individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of sero positive RA by using qualitative research principles to record their recollection of their experiences and map the data into a process map for each individual. (Two participants were later withdrawn pending a review of their diagnosis).

A preliminary map was reviewed by each participant for any amendments or additions before being submitted for a full cost analysis using costing data gathered from a number of sources. Further analysis was undertaken by the Chief Nurse Advisor to NRAS with support from a medical advisory board.

Outcome

The results need to be considered in the context of this small preliminary study using process mapping and qualitative principles but they allowed NRAS to show the differing journeys patients experienced in negotiating their healthcare needs.
  • Disparities in care and the consequences to the individual (personal costs and costs to healthcare) can be seen.
  • A number of participants ceased employment in the early phases of their condition and would have benefited from greater support to protect their employment.
The project has highlighted NRAS concerns that standards may not be adequately applied across all areas and further funding will be sought to continue to widen this research and monitor this situation.

"Taking this approach, so often used in industry has allowed NRAS to explore the reality of patient experiences against NHS standards and highlighted the variances that exist."

"The Catalyze team were aware of the sensitive nature of this project and the responsibilities of the role they took in speaking directly with our members, all of whom provided very positive feedback of the experience."

Ailsa Bosworth, Chief Executive and Founder

 

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