Whether he is teaching rheumatologists how to leverage technology tools in their practice or working with the ACR’s Communications and Marketing Committee (CMC) to connect members with practice knowledge and support, Suleman Bhana, MD, FACR, a rheumatologist with Crystal Run Healthcare in Middletown, N.Y., is focused on connecting with his colleagues to improve patient care.
Dr. Bhana says finding new ways to build your network and understand the dizzying amount of research and policy changes is more important than ever with the many obstacles rheumatologists face today.
“American physicians are under a lot of pressure to provide the best care for their patients while dealing with challenges, such as reimbursement and pre-approvals—it can be very dejecting sometimes,” he says. “However, getting involved with the ACR and connecting my colleagues to information they need to make a dent in all of this is very satisfying.”
Bhana Background
He began his work with the ACR three years ago, after four years into his practice, when he was invited to give a presentation at the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting on using technology tools, such as mobile health apps, in daily practice.
Dr. Bhana found apps and social media tools, such as Twitter, very beneficial early on in his career for building his professional network and keeping up with treatment developments and policy changes that impact his practice and his patients. For example, it was through Twitter meet-ups arranged informally, and now formally, through the ACR that Dr. Bhana met colleague Paul Sufka, MD, who also serves on the CMC. Together, they host a podcast for rheumatologists to share the latest practice updates.
“One of the good parts about building a broad network is the wide range of practice perspectives you learn about from colleagues,” Bhana shares.
Connecting the College to the Rheumatology Community
He says this range of perspectives is also what makes the ACR’s CMC so successful, because the committee includes rheumatologists from different practice settings across the country. He also has a chance to work with experts in different areas of practice, such as pediatric rheumatology, something he doesn’t experience in his own work.
These different outlooks are beneficial to the College because of the wide range of work the committee engages in. Last year, the CMC conducted the first phase of a major overhaul of the ACR’s digital patient education resources, which will streamline content and update information with the latest practices in testing and treatments. These resources are also offered in Spanish, which Dr. Bhana says is a unique and well-utilized option that supports physicians working with Spanish-speaking patients.
One other CMC activity Dr. Bhana was proud to be part of last year was a comprehensive review of research abstracts submitted for the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting; the objective was to select abstracts that would be a good fit for press coverage.
“It was so interesting to be a part of this review, which allowed our team to understand a wealth of new research and really be on the pulse of rheumatology, and share that perspective with the press,” Dr. Bhana says.
In the year ahead, as Dr. Bhana continues his second year on the CMC, he is excited to be a part of planning the annual Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month in the fall. The ACR has partnered with sports broadcaster Terry Bradshaw again this year, and the CMC will be developing a public service announcement that tells the general public why they should know about rheumatic disease and encourages them to do their part by being informed and leading a healthy lifestyle.
Why Volunteering Makes a Difference
“It’s good to give back to the community,” Dr. Bhana says, “whether I am reaching out to my own community to support patients facing the daily challenges of rheumatic diseases or through the ACR to give back to the College and its members who are doing so much every day to support patients.”
He encourages his physician colleagues to think about the ways they can add involvement to their day, even if it’s by simply learning how to engage with colleagues and the College via social media or through direct volunteer opportunities.
“Once you overcome the inertia to use social media tools like Twitter, you see the opportunities in front of you to share knowledge, and you will see these connections can rapidly evolve into work that only adds to your professional goals,” Dr. Bhana suggests.
When he is not caring for patients and giving his time to the ACR, Dr. Bhana is finding every opportunity to enjoy family time with his wife and two young sons.
Additional Resources
Stay in the know about ACR committee activities and getting involved. Learn more about connecting with the ACR through social media.
Carina Stanton is a freelance science journalist based in Denver.
