Population Health Trends in the Delivery of High Value Care for Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a common and disabling condition that represents around 20% of the global burden of musculoskeletal disease with a lifetime risk estimated at 13%-26%. The escalation in cases is associated with a rise in ageing and obese populations. OA of the knee is also now recognized as a multi-faceted problem affecting not only an individual's physical health but their psychological and social wellbeing. Thus, a condition-focused, whole person approach that encompasses a range of treatment strategies is critical to managing populations with this condition in order to achieve value – an improvement in health outcomes benefiting patients relative to cost. Comprehensive models focused on delivering high value care for knee osteoarthritis that aim to meet the preferences, values, and needs of patient populations with this condition have been developed at The Muskuloskeletal Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School, and the Joint Health Program, at Duke University Health System. Both programs strive to address the risk factors underlined in this chapter via multi-disciplinary teams and multi-modal approaches that are highly coordinated, continuous over time and between visits, and designed around the patient's needs toward a common goal of value. In this article we discuss the population level impact and health trends associated with knee osteoarthritis, alongside the design, delivery, and impact of these comprehensive models of care delivery.

Duke Scholars

Author William Arthur Jiranek Orthopaedic Surgery