The Osteoarthritis Journey
Is surgery suitable?
What are the non-surgical alternatives?
Is it worth the cost?
The patient journey begins at the GP. Referral to specialists can provide extensive examination at the physical joint, but what happens next? Is it better to undergo surgery or can it be avoided by alternate means?
Are patients receiving all the information they need to proceed with treatment? How can we prevent further harm, reduce cost waste and improve recovery?
These are questions that we want to answer.
what is OPUS?
OPUS is a multidisciplinary collection of surgeons, health economists, statisticians, general practitioners, and physiotherapists spread throughout the nation, but headquartered at St. Vincent’s Hospital – Melbourne.
We work to provide the evidence and tools that will inform better practice at all stages of care for end-stage osteoarthritis.
Our research uses a multi-faceted approach divided into 5 research streams to focus on the knowledge gaps linked closely to the real-world patient journey. This framework utilises the expertise of our researchers to effectively tackle the broader health issue.
For more information on the research and experts involved, click on a Stream below.