Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. In most cases, the condition only affects the joints, but in extreme cases some people experience damage in a wide variety of bodily systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels.
According to the Health Navigator, Rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common form of arthritis, affecting about 40,000 New Zealanders. It also affects women 3 times more often than men; smokers also have a higher rate than non-smokers.
The most common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include tender, warm, swollen joints, fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite. Early diagnosis is crucial, as treatment can help prevent permanent joint damage. Unfortunately, there is no single test that can make a conclusive diagnosis of early rheumatoid arthritis. To diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, doctors usually put together all the information from medical examinations and self-reported symptoms, along with laboratory tests, and even x-rays.
Although there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis as of yet, a variety of treatments are available that can slow down the disease and reduce the damage. Employing both, medications and non-medication approaches, produces the best results. Having regular appointments with a doctor will always be an important part of the rheumatoid arthritis treatment, but adding digital health tools into the mix will help improve care coordination and care outcomes.
Care.Wallet is one of the most powerful digital health management tools that has a lot to offer people living with arthritis. The app allows for seamless and instant appointment bookings. Global Telehealth Exchange is one of the Care Networks accessible via the app that supports teleconsultations in case an in-office visit is not possible or required.
Care.Wallet is built on blockchain, which ensures secure and efficient record sharing. Both, patients and providers, can have access to the same information such as medications, lab results, and x-rays. This can give patients confidence and a feeling of empowerment, because they are an informed member of the team that’s responsible for their own health care. If multiple healthcare professionals help a patient manage their arthritis or co-existing conditions, the patient can add them to their Care.Circle and share their medical records with all members to ensure everyone is aware of the current situation and treatment. Moreover, patients can add their friends and relatives to their Care.Circles to make them a part of their health journey as well.
Care.Wallet can help patients with arthritis track their condition more closely and take a more active role in their health care by providing an access to important information about arthritis and self-management tips.
Care.Wallet is a powerful health management tool designed to offer a new improved standard of care. If you enjoyed this article, do take a look at our previous article Sepsis in the UK.
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