Summary
This quality standard addresses care for adults (18 years of age or older) with osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, hand (i.e., thumb or fingers), or shoulder (i.e., the glenohumeral joint). The quality standard focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, and management of osteoarthritis for people across all health care settings and clinicians. It provides guidance on nonpharmacological and pharmacological care. It covers referral for consideration of joint surgery but does not address specific surgical procedures. This quality standard does not apply to care for people with osteoarthritis affecting the spine, other peripheral joints (i.e., elbow, wrist, foot, ankle), or neck or low back pain. Similarly, this quality standard also excludes people with inflammatory arthritis or medical conditions and treatments that can lead to osteoarthritis.
This quality standard was completed in September 2018 and updated in November 2024.