Building partnerships for implementing a decentralized eHealth collaborative gout care model: BRIDGE

Research co-leads: 

Research user co-lead:

  • Dr. Kam Shojania
    University of British Columbia

Team members: 

  • Dr. Nick Bansback
    University of British Columbia
  • Dr. Hyon Choi
    Harvard University
  • Kelly English
    Arthritis Research Canada Patient Advisory Board 
  • Russell Friesen
    St. Paul's Hospital
  • Alyssa Howren
    University of British Columbia
  • Dr. Alison Kydd
    University of British Columbia
  • Dr. Diane Lacaille
    University of British Columbia
  • Dr. Linda Li
    University of British Columbia
  • Dr. Nicole Tsao
    Harvard University
  • Dr. Peter Zed
    University of British Columbia

Gout is a common and very painful type of joint disease caused by too much uric acid build up in the body. In 2012, our research team showed that gout affects over 171,000 people in BC and that hospital visits from gout has doubled from 2000 to 2011. This is alarming as the cause of gout is known and drugs that lower uric acid are available. Indeed, despite being a curable disease, gout has not been managed well.

In 2019, we completed research that showed that health professionals including rheumatologists, pharmacists, and dietitians remotely working together and sharing electronic medical records (EMR) is a feasible and effective way of caring for gout patients. It is important to continue to work towards implementing this promising approach to gout care. This includes involving family physicians who see the majority of gout patients as well as exploring access for gout patients living in both urban and rural areas.

Our proposed activities involve building partnerships with gout patients, health professionals, researchers, and EMR experts across BC to gather perspectives and expertise needed to inform and design future implementation research of this unique way of caring for gout patients.