Home Rethink OA Program For Clinicians Blog News About Contact My Library

The Rethink OA Program for Clinicians

Evidence-based digital support designed to improve patient engagement in conservative osteoarthritis care.

Conservative care is the recommended first-line treatment for osteoarthritis, yet many patients struggle to follow through with exercise, physical therapy, and long-term self-management.

Rethink OA is a clinically validated digital program that helps patients better understand pain, rebuild movement confidence, and engage more fully in care alongside their healthcare team.

Explore Partnership Opportunities

Why Patients Struggle With Conservative Care

Many patients with osteoarthritis:

  • Interpret pain as ongoing damage
  • Become fearful of movement
  • Avoid activity and exercise
  • Struggle to stay engaged in PT and conservative care
  • Feel surgery is their only option

Clinicians know movement improves outcomes, but limited visit time and lack of scalable behavioral support make long-term engagement difficult.

Rethink OA was designed to help bridge that gap.

 

What Rethink OA Provides

A structured, self-guided digital experience designed to complement existing osteoarthritis care pathways.

The program includes:

  • 4 guided modules patients complete at their own pace
  • Short video lessons featuring Stanford experts and individuals living with osteoarthritis
  • Reflection exercises that help patients apply concepts to daily life
  • Evidence-based pain and movement education
  • Unlimited access for continued reinforcement between visits

Rethink OA is designed to integrate with PT, rehab, and conservative management, with the goal of supporting patient engagement between visits. The entire program is self-guided and can be completed in under 2 hours.

Learn How Rethink OA Fits Into Care Pathways

Module 1: Understanding OA

Helps patients reframe common misconceptions about osteoarthritis and better understand pain, movement, and joint adaptation.

Module 2: Move to Improve

Supports movement confidence by helping patients understand how activity can improve function, resilience, and long-term joint health.

Module 3: Enjoying Exercise

Targets motivation and long-term adherence by helping patients build more positive and sustainable relationships with movement.

Module 4: Mindsets Matter

Introduces evidence-based mindset strategies that influence pain perception, motivation, self-efficacy, and health behaviors over time.

The Missing Behavioral Piece in Osteoarthritis Care

Patients are often educated on the benefits of movement, but many still experience pain as damage and movement as unsafe.

This can lead to:

  • Fear of movement
  • Activity avoidance
  • Reduced mental health
  • Lower PT adherence
  • Poor long-term engagement in conservative care

Rethink OA addresses the behavioral and psychological drivers that influence how patients experience pain and movement—not by replacing clinical care, but by helping patients engage more effectively with it.

Built With Experts Across Stanford University

Rethink OA combines expertise across:

  • Bioengineering
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Psychology
  • Health Behavior

The program features Stanford researchers, clinicians, and individuals living with osteoarthritis to provide patients with evidence-based, relatable education grounded in real-world care.

See the Clinically Proven Results

What This Will Change For Your Patients

Rethink OA was validated in a Stanford-led randomized controlled trial involving more than 400 individuals with osteoarthritis, published in npj Digital Medicine.

Participants in Rethink Osteoarthritis reported:

  • 66% increased physical activity
  • 68% reduced fear of movement
  • 54% improved physical function
  • 44% reduced perceived need for surgery

These domains—including physical function, activity levels, and fear of movement—are known predictors of surgical outcomes and recovery. 

Rethink OA is designed to support patients:

  • at diagnosis,
  • during conservative management,
  • before surgery,
  • and during recovery afterward.

 Here’s how participants described their experience:

Study Participant

"I thought surgery was my only option. Now, I am empowered to improve my situation."

Study Participant

"Thank you for the perspective change! I no longer let osteoarthritis hold me back."

Study Participant

"After Rethink OA, for the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful."

Ideal Use Cases

Rethink OA may support patients who:

  • Are newly diagnosed with osteoarthritis
  • Feel fearful or uncertain about movement
  • Are beginning physical therapy or conservative care
  • Need additional support between visits
  • Are preparing for or recovering from joint replacement surgery

Rethink OA is not intended to replace medical evaluation, physical therapy, surgical care, or individualized treatment plans.

Schedule a Conversation

Explore the Clinical Research

Read the peer-reviewed randomized controlled trial published in npj Digital Medicine.

Read the Manuscript

 Interested in Bringing Rethink OA to Your Patients?

Learn how Rethink OA can support patient engagement in conservative osteoarthritis care.

HSA and FSA Eligibility

Rethink OA is eligible for reimbursement through HSA or FSA with a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN).

More Information on HSA and FSA