Background/Purpose: Living with chronic knee issues for 40 years has been incredibly challenging. My knee pain began as early as 6th grade but got overlooked and attributed to growing pains. As the pain worsened, communicating my symptoms to doctors remained difficult. The lack of technology in healthcare at the time exacerbated these challenges, often hindering my care because information was not updated and shared across specialists. I realized that having an organized and accessible system was essential for effective communication and health monitoring.

The constant pain and limited mobility significantly affected my quality of life. These challenges, along with numerous doctor visits and various treatments, led me to develop “My Knee Notes.” This tool transformed my health management approach. Diagnosed with Osteoarthritis at 20 and Rheumatoid Arthritis at 40, I realized the urgency of tracking my condition meticulously. “My Knee Notes,” a structured log book for arthritis pain and other symptoms, became indispensable in my journey, enhancing communication with my healthcare team and improving my condition management.

Intervention: Implementation of My Knee Notes

“My Knee Notes” consolidates all aspects of my knee health in one place. Implementing this tool involved the following steps:
Daily Usage:

• Symptom Tracking: I logged symptoms, pain levels, and mobility limitations, observing patterns and triggers from activities like walking, biking, swimming, and dancing.
• Medication: I documented medication details, including time to relief and duration of relief.
• Nature-Based Care: I recorded non-pharmacological approaches like heat/ice therapy, therapeutic massages, topicals, ointments, and supplements, always discussing these with my doctor.
• Questions for the Care Team: I noted questions for my doctors, helping me remember what to discuss during appointments.
• Consultation Data: Before each appointment, I reviewed “My Knee Notes” and highlighted relevant treatment history to facilitate productive discussions.

Maintenance: Implementing “My Knee Notes” brought significant improvements:

• Enhanced Communication: My interactions with healthcare providers became more efficient, as I could present detailed and organized information, making optimal use of my appointment time.
• Informed Decisions: The comprehensive logs enabled shared, informed decisions about treatment adjustments.
• Empowerment: Having “My Knee Notes” empowered me to actively advocate for my care and foster a collaborative approach with my healthcare team.

Quality of Life: Implementing “My Knee Notes” helped me manage my knee health more confidently and effectively. The tool strengthened the patient-provider relationship, leading to more personalized care. For anyone grappling with chronic health conditions, embracing “My Knee Notes” can significantly improve their ability to communicate with healthcare providers and take charge of their health. This simple yet effective tool could greatly benefit many other patients with chronic conditions, enhancing their health management journey.

« Back to ACR Convergence 2024

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/utilization-of-my-knee-notes-for-enhanced-healthcare-management/