Exclusive: ACR Convergence 2024| Focus Rheums

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Pursue Remission

Carol A. Wallace, MD  |  

Disease remission should be the goal for all rheumatologists treating childhood arthritis

Joint Surgery

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Modern joint replacement surgery involves removal of worn cartilage from both sides of the joint, followed by resurfacing of the joint with a metal and plastic replacement implant that looks and functions much like a normal joint. Although nearly every joint in the body can be replaced, most replacement surgeries involve the hip or knee. Joint replacement surgery is typically recommended for patients who have tried non-surgical treatment but still have joint pain. While this is an extremely effective surgical treatment, total joint replacement should be considered as the last (rather than the first) treatment option for patients with advanced arthritis of the hip, knee, or shoulder.

ACR Business Meeting 2007

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The ACR will hold its annual business meeting for all members on Saturday, November 10, in Boston at the ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting. The business meeting will begin at 2 p.m., immediately preceding the “ACR Concurrent Abstract” presentation, and will include election of the ACR secretary, treasurer, and board members; and installation of the 71st ACR president, David A. Fox, MD.

REF Fellowship Training Award Expanded

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Workforce training should be at the forefront of every rheumatologist’s mind. The release of the 2006 Rheumatology Workforce Study, commissioned by the ACR, confirms that the current shortage of rheumatologists will continue to increase, affecting current and future patient care.

Innovative Educational Programs for Rheumatology APNs and PAs

Karen L. Kerr, MSN, NP, CPNP, APRN-BC  |  

Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases affect more than 46 million adults and 300,000 children in the United States. With the aging of the U.S. population, the number of adults with rheumatic disease is expected to increase to 67 million by 2030.1 While the demand for rheumatology services is increasing, the supply of practicing rheumatologists is diminishing. The ACR Rheumatology Workforce Study (published earlier this year) predicts that there will be little or no increase in the number of practicing rheumatologists, resulting in a critical shortage of rheumatologists by 2020.

ACR Recertification Resources

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With the time constraints, stress, and lack of resources rheumatologists and other healthcare professionals face everyday, it can be challenging to find educational programs that not only provide measurable effects on the quality of patient care, but also offer resources to equip you for the ever-changing world of healthcare.

Urge Congress to Support the Arthritis Act

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The ACR strongly urges Congress to enact the “Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2007” (S. 626/H.R.1283), introduced by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Christopher Bond (R-Mo.) and Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Chip Pickering (R-Miss.).

Consultation or Referral? That Is the Question

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One of the most troublesome coding decisions is determining whether a visit is a consultation or a referral. To avoid the hassle of incorrect coding, one must first understand the difference between a consultation and a referral.

Enhanced Opportunities at the 2007 Meeting

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The AMPC is using more translational components as a way of increasing the basic scientist’s interaction with clinicians, he explains. In keeping with this, the meeting will offer sessions on osteoclasts, implications for the development and treatment of osteoarthritis, T-cell subsets, and a year in review – all of which will be of interest to both the clinician and the basic researcher.

Know Your Unknown Unknowns

David S. Pisetsky, MD, PhD  |  

Making life-or-death decisions based on unknown information is the challenge of medicine.