For patients with autoimmune conditions, medical testing can be confusing and mysterious — but a new resource is here to help.
Two patient organizations, the Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance and Dragon Claw, an organization that is based in Australia with Canadian membership joined forces to develop a new resource for people living with autoimmune conditions. “Know Your Numbers” was officially launched on May 20, 2023, on World Autoimmune Arthritis Day, and describes the various tests that we, as patients, are required to do in order to ensure our disease is being well-managed and to monitor for new conditions as time goes on.
A resource with big impact
In an era where the health care system is under increased pressure, giving patients a tool to assist them in self-managing their health could relieve some strain on the system and will help us, as patients, to coordinate care between multiple providers in a fragmented health care system. As provinces implement electronic health records that patients will be able to access, having a resource that explains each test will help as we track our health trends with our health care providers and can only improve communication, encourage shared decision-making, and increase patient confidence.
To learn more about the “Know Your Numbers” resource, visit arthritispatient.ca.
