Table 1 Characteristics of patients cared for by the 77 rheumatologists in our cohort

Total: Rheumatologists (Patients)

77 (152,251)

Use of Multidisciplinary Care Assessment billing code:

 Yes

51 (116,447)

 No

26 (50,707)

2 year follow up pre and post first billing:

 Yes (“Ever-billed”)

26 (82,360)

 No

25 (34,087)

Billing pattern of Multidisciplinary Care Assessment:

 1 or more per month (“Consistent”)

16 (53,546)

N/A

N/A

  ≥ 25 per month (“High intensity”)

14 (59,515)

N/A

N/A

Patient characteristics:

 Age (years), median (IQ)

56 (45, 68)

55 (44, 66)

57 (46, 67)

 Sex:

  Female, n (%)

55,477 (68%)

24,316 (71%)

35,046 (69%)

 Diagnosis:

  Inflammatory arthritis, n (%)

38,811 (47%)

20,195 (59%)

20,799 (41%)

 Area of residence

  Urban, n (%)

57,503 (70%)

26,190 (77%)

36,580 (72%)

  Rural, n (%)

13,509 (16%)

5,123 (15%)

4,132 (8%)

  Unknown/missing, n (%)

11,177 (14%)

2,670 (8%)

9,898 (20%)