Joint learning for improvement - interprofessional competence development within the framework of a co-operative project between the University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions Upper Austria and the Medical Faculty of Johannes Kepler University Linz.

Objectives: This project carried out in cooperation between the University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions Upper Austria (UASHPUA) and the Medical Faculty of Johannes Kepler University Linz (MFJKUL), describes the feasibility, i.e., the planning and implementation, and presents selected results of an inter-university lecture on interprofessional cooperation. Methodology: The lecture "Grundlagen zu interprofessioneller Zusammenarbeit im Gesundheitswesen (IPZ3I)"/"Introduction to interprofessional cooperation in health care (IPZ3I)" as well as an interprofessional job shadowing were designed. The pilot lecture started in the winter semester (WS) 2019/20. An evaluation of IPZ3I was undertaken by means of a questionnaire. Results: IPZ3I was held in the WS 2019/20 for 296 students from nine different health care professions and included a specialist lecture, the presentation of the professions, and interprofessional case processing. In the evaluation approx. 80% of the students described a better understanding of the interprofessional collaboration. More than 70% regard interprofessional courses in education as important or very important. The majority of respondents indicate that after completing the lecture they can make recommendations for action for interprofessional cooperation. Conclusions: The joint lecture IPZ3I will be maintained at both universities. The process of evaluation and adaptation of curricula at UASHPUA is currently underway. This includes, for instance, consultations with the curriculum officers at MFJKUL, and the exploration of further possibilities to identify and to implement joint interprofessional teaching aspects in the curricula. This shall be achieved by considering the existing resources, increasing student numbers at MFJKUL as of 2023, planned curricula revisions as well as using possible synergies aiming at an extension of the existing cooperation.

Functional consultation and exercises improve grip strength in osteoarthritis of the hand - a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Evidence for non-pharmacological interventions in hand osteoarthritis is promising but still scarce. Combined interventions are most likely to best cover the clinical needs of patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a combined, interdisciplinary intervention feasible in both primary and specialist care compared to routine care plus placebo in patients with hand OA. METHODS: This was a randomised, controlled 2-month trial with a blinded assessor. In the combined-intervention group, rheumatology-trained health professionals from different disciplines delivered a one-session individual intervention with detailed information on functioning, activities of daily living, physical activity, nutrition, assistive devices, instructions on pain management and exercises. Telephone follow up was performed after 4 weeks. The primary outcome was grip strength after 8 weeks. Secondary outcomes were self-reported pain, satisfaction with treatment, health status, two of the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function subtests and the total score of the Australian/Canadian Hand Osteoarthritis Index (AUSCAN). Statistical significance was calculated by Student's t test or the Mann-Whitney U test depending on data distribution. Binominal logistic regression models were fitted, with the primary outcome being the dependent and the group allocation being the independent variable. RESULTS: There were 151 participating patients (74 in the combined-intervention and 77 in the routine-care-plus-placebo group) with 2-month follow-up attendance of 84% (n = 128). Grip strength significantly increased in the combined-intervention group and decreased in the routine-care group (dominant hand, mean 0.03 bar (SD 0.11) versus - 0.03 (SD 0.13), p value = 0.001, baseline corrected values) after 8 weeks. CONCLUSION: The combined one-session individual intervention significantly improved grip strength and self-reported satisfaction with treatment in patients with hand OA. It can be delivered by different rheumatology-trained health professionals and is thus also feasible in primary care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN62513257 . Registered on 17 May 2012.