Time to start disease modifying drugs for adults with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis: results of the first year of the national New Zealand Rheumatology Association (NZRA) audit.

There was significant variation in time to DMARD treatment, mainly related to variation in rheumatologist staffing levels and patient rurality. Rheumatologist staffing levels of 1.0 FTE/100,000 population was associated with 80% of patients meeting the recommended 6-week time to DMARD treatment.