POS1471-HPR CHARACTERISATION OF THE PATHOLOGY ATTENDED IN THE PRIVATE RHEUMATOLOGY PRACTISE IN SPAIN
Authors: L. Fernández-Fuente-Bursón, B. Yoldi-Muñoz, M. Romera-Baurés, J. Del Pino-Montes, N. Garrido-Puñal, B. Correa-Rey, M. Moreno Zazo, A. Weruaga-Rey, J. J. Fragío Gil, R. González-Mazarío, P. Zurita-Prada, E. T. Ornilla Laraundogoitia, M. Tenorio-Martín, S. Kanaffo-Castelblanco, P. M. Lois-Bermejo, I. Carvajal-Méndez, J. Arroyo-Palomo, M. Uriarte Ecenarro, J. Sánchez-García, M. L. González-Gómez, S. Gerechter-Fernández
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2024)

<h3>Background:</h3> Rheumatisms are the second most frequent reason for consultation in Europe [1]. In Spain, the bulk of prevalence studies exploit public health data [2-3], despite the fact that our health system is mixed. Spanish private health spending reaches 26.7% of the total and is booming [4]. However, there is a fundamental lack of studies focused on private care, most of which are local [5-6]. <h3>Objectives:</h3> To characterise the activity performed by rheumatologists in private medicine throughout Spanish geography. <h3>Methods:</h3> Members of SERPA working group were summoned to participate by email. They were proposed to carry out a detailed study of the diagnoses and diagnostic-therapeutic procedures carried out in usual practise during 4 consecutive weeks, chosen between November 2022 and January 2023. A shared spreadsheet was developed with predefined diagnostics. All diagnoses made were integrated, so that in the presence of several diagnoses in the same patient, 1 point was added to each corresponding category. Approval was obtained from the EC. <h3>Results:</h3> Out of 274 rheumatologists working in the private area in Spain [7], a total of 21 rheumatologists from 15 different medical centers have participated. During the month of follow-up, a total of 5,214 diagnoses and 431 therapeutic procedures were obtained. The resuts of the most frequent diagnostics are as follows: OP in first place, followed by OA and STP. However, when we unified the diagnoses by type of disease, the I&amp;SCTD took the first place, followed by OP and OA, and then other diagnoses such as STP and CSS were less common (Figures 1 and 2). Regarding to the procedures, all rheumatologists (21) have performed a total of 287 infiltrations, 7 of them carried out 171 ultrasounds and another 7 carried out 38 capillaroscopies, only 1 performed DEXAs. In our case, the I&amp;STCD stood out over the STP and CSS, contrary to what was expected when comparing our findings with those of the general population from EPISER-2016 and 2000 registries [2-3], where the proportion is inverse. It could be explained because consultations for second opinions or seeking a closer monitoring than the one given in the public system are common in private care. Having used a sampling for convenience, external validity biases are possible. However, we consider that the vast geographical and healthcare environment ubiquity of participating experts provides the analysis of a high representativeness. <h3>Conclusion:</h3> The practice of rheumatology in the private sector addresses the entire broad spectrum of rheumatic diseases. It is essential to incorporate data from private clinical activity that allows us to specify its contribution to Spanish rheumatology and to offer a more reliable perspective of the impact of rheumatic diseases in our society. <h3>REFERENCES:</h3> [1] Woolf AD, Zeidler H, Haglund U, Carr AJ, Chaussade S, Cucinotta D, Veale DJ, Martin-Mola E. Musculoskeletal pain in Europe: its impact and a comparison of population and medical perceptions of treatment in eight European countries. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004;63(4):342-7. [2] Seoane-Mato D, Sánchez-Piedra C, Silva-Fernández L, Sivera F, Blanco FJ, Pérez Ruiz F, et al. Prevalencia de enfermedades reumáticas en población adulta en España (estudio EPISER 2016). Objetivos y metodología. Reumatol Clin. 2019;15(2):90-6. [3] Carmona L, Gabriel R, Ballina J, Laffon A. Proyecto EPISER 2000: prevalencia de enfermedades reumáticas en la población española. Rev Esp Reumatol. 2001;28(1):18-25. [4] Instituto para el Desarrollo e Integración de la Sanidad. Sanidad privada aportando valor. Análisis de situación 2023. [5] Nieto González JC. Reumatología privada ambulatoria, estudio descriptivo en la Comunidad de Madrid. Reumatol Clin. 2019;15(5):e10-3. [6] Alegre C. La Reumatología privada en Cataluña. Reumatol Clin. 2019;15(3):170-2. [7] Yoldi Muñoz B, Gómez Centeno A, Moreno Muelas JV. Estado de la reumatología privada en España. Reumatol Clin. 2017;13(6):313-7. <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> <b>NIL.</b> <h3>Disclosure of Interests:</h3> <b>None declared.</b>