MON-177 Pathways To Care For Those With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Development Of An Algorithm For Patients And Primary Care To Improve Health Care Management

Abstract Disclosure: D.F. Vine: None. M. Ghosh: None. S. Chambers: None. P. Beckles: None. L. Sadiq: None. M. Kupreeva: None. L. Mereu: None. A. Achi: None. T. Motan: None. C. Lejour: None. B. Sydora: None. J. Robison: None. OBJECTIVE: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common metabolic-endocrine disorder impacting 15% of females across the lifespan. Despite its high prevalence, those with PCOS in Alberta, Canada have expressed concerns about their health care including prolonged time for diagnosis, insufficient patient information, and lack of management support. Health care providers in Alberta have expressed the need for direction to integrate care of those with PCOS and appropriately address their complex health needs. Our project was to develop an evidence-based primary care clinical pathway to guide providers with diagnosis and management of PCOS, and a patient pathway to educate and guide patients on their health care journey with PCOS. METHODS: In collaboration with the Alberta Health Services Provincial Pathways Unit (AHS PPU) we followed the five phases in the Pathway Development Toolkit; i) Co-define, ii) Co-Design, iii) Validate, iv) Implement, and v) Sustain. A co-design team was established with patient-partners and health care providers including family physicians, researchers, dietitians, endocrinologists and obstetrician-gynecologists. The algorithm pathway was developed using recommendations from the evidence-based literature, the International Guidelines for Assessment and Management of PCOS (2023) and provincial resources. A project charter was co-defined to develop a pathway that did not need additional resources, was usable to primary care providers, supported by specialty care providers, supported patient self-management and shared decision making, and addressed the challenges related to managing PCOS and co-morbidities identified by patients and health care providers. RESULTS: Two pathway-of-care documents were generated: one for patients and one for primary care physicians. The pathway algorithms with expanded detail for patients and primary care physicians were developed based on serial consultation with the co-design team. The algorithms were refined by stepwise iteration and review to meet the project charter outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The pathway development reflects a patient-centered collaborative multidisciplinary team approach to support primary care providers and those affected by PCOS to improve their health care journey. While the pathway algorithms were developed for provincial use in Alberta, we envision a wider use in Canada, and that it can adapted for use in other countries to establish models of care for improving primary care in those affected by PCOS. Presentation: Monday, July 14, 2025