Page 43 - MRS Abstracts March 2023

Presumed and final diagnosis: 69.2% were inflammatory, 7.7% Axial Spondyloarthropathy, 23.1% were ‘others’ (osteoporosis, hypermobility). The final diagnosis corresponded with the presumed diagnosis in 53.8%.
Outcome: 76.9% of those referrals had further treatment and FU and 23.1% had an onward referral.
Discussion:
Could the patient pathway been expedited?
In the referrals from Rheumatology to SEM, 30% of the referrals could have been made earlier, where by one of the referrals with suspected greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) could have been referred directly to SEM rather than through the hip surgeons, and two of the referrals could have been referred to SEM prior to the injections that they received as none of them had any biomechanical assessments or rehabilitation prior.
For the referrals from SEM to Rheumatology, although the timing of referrals seem appropriate, there were two referrals (plantar fasciitis and non-inflammatory ankle pain) that could be managed in house.
Data suggests that patient treatment could be expedited in some cases. However, this is a small sample size and notes were reviewed by an SEM Physician. It would be valuable to increase the sample size, working alongside a Rheumatology physician