The Australian Collaboration Project for Fibromyalgia Best Practice and Education established in 2000 is a national collaborative of agencies working to provide Australians with current best practice information on Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS).
Since 2000, the team has facilitated participation in shared care chronic disease management initiatives, monitoring health outcomes and improving information on the management of fibromyalgia.
The Project endorses a holistic multidimensional integrated approach to care. This provides a balance of the best of medicine with structured self-management program that provide accurate information. Care aims to provide prevention of progression of FMS as well as information and life skills to enable people to make informed health decisions and work in partnership with their health providers.
Project initiatives have included:
- improved information for providers by distributing and evaluating the Canadian Fibromyalgia General Practice Guidelines;
- promoting evidenced based approaches for the management of fibromyalgia;
- evaluating Patient Self Management Programs, both generic and fibromyalgia specific;
- evaluating a 3-hour fibromyalgia introductory or add-on educational module, "Lay Person's Guide to Living with Fibromyalgia";
- facilitating patient support through one to one and group activities and educational resources.
Current initiatives include:
- provider partnerships to facilitate primary shared care to improved early intervention, ongoing care and health outcomes;
- website providing information to support best practice care;
- educational activities;
- phone line and internet support.
As fibromyalgia is a complex multifaceted condition, intervention by health practitioners needs to be tailored to the individual's experience.
Currently research is underway to categorise different subsets of FMS.
Appropriate pharmacological pain management will stabilise pain levels enabling people to better participate in tailored multidisciplinary management programs.
Evaluated quality management programs are now available to help providers and patients work together in "team care arrangement" through tailored shared care pathways that can be modified regularly according to health outcomes.
Just like for diabetes monitoring and feedback are fundamental to achieving the best health outcomes and quality of life.
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Estimates are that as many as 1 million Australians experience this pain disorder.
education better practice management care