FRI0410 Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care: Geographic disparities and impact of primary care physicians on access to rheumatologists

Background Earlier population-based assessments have demonstrated that many Canadians are not provided optimal RA therapy.1 This is especially true for seniors with RA. Little is known about potential barriers that limit access to rheumatologists for patients with new-onset RA. In the province of Ontario, all 13 million residents are covered by universal public health insurance. However, access to specialists depends on referral at the …