The ACR’s Workforce Study Group to Release 2015 Survey Results

Dr. Von Feldt

Dr. Matteson

The ACR and its Rheumatology Research Foundation continue to work together to provide support for the rheumatology and patient communities. Both organizations are committed to advancing the field of rheumatology with a dedication to expanding the workforce. With a growing number of patients being diagnosed with a rheumatic disease and living longer with the disease, it’s imperative that the number of rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals grows.

The ACR’s Workforce Study Group has completed the 2015 Workforce Study survey and is working diligently on the final report. This study focused on the character and composition of the overall rheumatology workforce, identifying demographic and employment trends to help inform workforce needs and succession planning in rheumatology practice, education and research in the U.S. Preliminary results suggest that the current U.S. rheumatology workforce is in jeopardy of an accelerated decline due to attrition and reduced productivity.

The ACR and the Foundation aim to increase efforts to attract high-caliber students and residents to rheumatology, recruit and support trainees who express interest in practicing in underserved areas and support post-graduate training for physician assistants and nurse practitioners. In support of the ACR’s mission of Advancing Rheumatology! by enhancing and improving rheumatology care, the Foundation will also work to increase the number of rheumatology fellowships nationwide.

Last year, the Foundation convened a Strategic Planning Task Force to establish a road map for expanding upon its existing programs. Working together over the course of a year, the task force comprised patients, investigators, academicians, clinicians and health professionals. The final plan provides guidance for the Foundation as it works to increase patient access to care, encourage future treatments and cures, and develop mutually beneficial collaborations.

In addition to finding a cure, ACR members engaged in research are encouraged to identify new ways of delivering patient care & improving the value of rheumatology care.

Promoting New Research Directions

Patient treatments have come a long way, but there is still so much to discover. To increase treatment options and the potential for cures, the Foundation has expanded the scope of funding opportunities to promote new research directions. In addition to finding a cure, ACR members engaged in research are encouraged to identify new ways of delivering patient care and improving the value of rheumatology care.

To begin the focus on new research directions, this year, the Foundation opened its largest research award to investigators studying all rheumatic diseases. The Innovative Research Award now also includes a track for health services research.

Engaging Meaningful Partnerships

The ultimate goal of finding cures will require additional resources, and developing meaningful partnerships is a major priority for the Rheumatology Research Foundation. The Foundation will work to build mutually beneficial partnerships with other organizations, institutions and corporations that serve patients and the rheumatology community. These collaborations will bolster the Foundation’s work to improve patient care, while also filling gaps in funding and services.

As part of this effort, in June the ACR and the Foundation worked together to hold the second annual Partners in Rheumatology: Leadership Summit. Attended by representatives from 14 private organizations and federal institutes, the meeting facilitated dialogue on how the organizations can work together and share resources to build a more effective support system for the rheumatology community. The Summit sparked several ideas for collaboration, including joint meetings for early-career investigators, a common research grant application that could be used across organizations and the creation of a comprehensive list of research and training resources relevant to rheumatology for distribution to program directors. The feasibility of these partnership ideas will be evaluated in the coming months as the organizations develop clear action items and goals.

Moving Forward with Your Support

The current and future success of researchers and educators and the advancement of rheumatologic treatments and the organizations that support them would not be possible without a strong ACR–Foundation partnership and generous contributions from rheumatology, patient and corporate supporters.

One of the strongest testaments to this teamwork is the close of the Foundation’s Journey to Cure campaign. This year marks the final year in the five-year campaign to raise $60 million, a significant milestone for the ACR and its Foundation, and our donors who committed to reaching this ambitious goal. Their determination and hard work has resulted in a significant increase in private support of rheumatology research and education initiatives. Not only did this accomplishment drive advancements in the field and help train tomorrow’s workforce, but it also provided an example to the medical community at large of what can be accomplished when rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals invest in the future of their field.

Together, the ACR and its Foundation and ACR members have made extraordinary achievements in rheumatology and will continue to focus on Advancing Rheumatology! for many years to come.

Joan M. Von Feldt, MD, MSEd, FACR, FACP, is the president of the ACR, professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also staff physician at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center.

Eric L. Matteson, MD, MPH, is the president of the Rheumatology Research Foundation and on faculty at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. His research interests include researching the epidemiology and novel treatments of rheumatoid arthritis and studying the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on development of coexisting conditions, such as heart disease.