Acute low back pain and osteoarthritis represent two of the most common clinical conditions encountered on a daily basis in the primary care setting. We have received feedback from primary care providers that concise, evidence-based materials help to not only support dialogue between patients and providers, but also support clinical decision-making regarding patients presenting with acute low back pain and osteoarthritis.
In order to help primary care providers apply the Low Back Pain and Osteoarthritis Quality Standards, Ontario Health has developed the Quality Standard (QS) Placemat. The placemat is a quick-reference tool that concisely summarizes each of the quality statements from the corresponding quality standard, highlighting the key elements of diagnosis, assessment, and treatment for that condition, and also includes links to helpful resources and tools.
Its at-a-glance format maximizes its ease of use in clinical settings, and is an evidence-based resource that can be used by primary care providers to enhance patient-centered discussions on acute low back pain and osteoarthritis. The placemats can also be shared with patients and families to help empower patients in the management of their own care.
Click on the links below to access the QS Placemats:
- Low Back Pain QS Placemat – summarizes content from the Low Back Pain Quality Standard, focusing on care for people 16 years of age and older with persistent or recurrent episodes of acute lower back pain. French version.
- Osteoarthritis QS Placemat - summarizes content from the Osteoarthritis Quality Standard, focusing on care for adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, or hand (i.e., thumb or fingers). French version.
This tool can also be uploaded and used within EMRs for easy access. Resources to support adding these tools into your EMR system will be added here on Quorum soon, so please stay tuned for more information!
We will continue to feature organizations and programs across the province that have implemented the quality standards and related resources. We hope that by sharing regional and local examples of quality standards implementation, you and your organization will think about where quality standards can inform how care is delivered and identify areas for quality improvement.
Dr. Colin Wilson
Primary Care Clinical Lead
Ontario Health
Comment below to describe your experience with these tools or share any others you have found useful!