From the College

Rheumatology Coding Corner Question: Joint Injection with Ultrasound Guidance, No Office Visit

From the College | November 16, 2016

A 66-year-old male patient presents to the office with right knee pain. He was in the office two weeks prior for a follow-up visit of his primary osteoarthritis. He received an injection of hyaluronate sodium in his right knee four months before and states that his knee felt like new. He states that everything was…

Rheumatology Patient, Investigator Reflect on Advancements in Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments

From the College | November 16, 2016

In 1969, Martha Lovato passed away from renal failure due to complications of lupus. Martha was 18 years old and survived only two years following her diagnosis. At the time, Martha’s disease was still a mystery to many physicians and researchers. Her treatment options were limited. In fall 2004, after an unprecedented battle with shingles…

Human Resources Management 101 for Physician Practice Owners

From the College | October 10, 2016

In any practice, the physician owner and/or administrators are in charge of overseeing the responsibilities associated with human resources management. This includes employment and labor laws, government compliance issues, employee-related costs and the ever-present threat of employee litigation. The central components of human resources management include staffing the practice; staying current with the legal environment;…

Rheumatology Coding Corner Answer: Gout Visit for Established Patient

From the College | October 10, 2016

CPT: 99213, 89060 ICD-10: M10.072 Coding Rationale This is an established outpatient visit. The encounter is coded as 99213 because it included: History—Expanded problem-focused history. The history of present illness was brief, the review of systems was extended and the past medical and social history was documented. Examination—Detailed. There were seven organ systems examined. This…

RheumPAC Backs Pro-Rheumatology Congressional Candidate Dr. Matt Heinz from Arizona

From the College | October 10, 2016

RheumPAC is the ACR’s political action committee dedicated to increasing rheumatology’s presence on Capitol Hill. It is the only PAC dedicated to the interests of all rheumatologists and their patients. RheumPAC began in 2007 with the purpose of building contacts, influence and visibility within Washington, D.C. for rheumatology. RheumPAC works to support and elect pro-rheumatology…

Rheumatology Research Workshop Encourages Collaboration, Career Mentoring

From the College | October 10, 2016

The Rheumatology Research Workshop (RRW), a two-day meeting designed to promote interactions between early and established investigators to foster collaboration and facilitate career mentoring, was held this year on June 24–25 in Atlanta. Each year, the workshop includes scientific lectures, elevator pitch presentations, poster sessions and scheduled time for interaction with senior investigators to exchange…

Rheumatology Coding Corner Question: Gout Visit for Established Patient

From the College | October 10, 2016

A 55-year-old female patient returns to the office with complaints of gout pain. She is complaining of swelling and a burning pain in her left toe. She has been taking an over-the-counter NSAID to treat the pain, but this has done little to alleviate it. This is her second flare this year. The patient denies…

ACR/ARHP 2016 Research Conferences Foster Exchanges with Colleagues Before Annual Meeting Start

From the College | October 10, 2016

Connect with colleagues at the Basic Research Conference (BRC) and the Clinical Research Conference (CRC) pre-meeting courses at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting! The ACR has an exceptional array of research leaders lined up for this year’s BRC and CRC sessions on Friday, Nov. 11, and Saturday, Nov. 12 in Washington, D.C. Get ready to…

Preceptorships, Mentors Steer Rheumatology

From the College | October 10, 2016

Brian Le, MD, a rheumatology fellow at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University (MCG), credits an excellent mentor and two Rheumatology Research Foundation preceptorships with guiding his career toward rheumatology. “Working with Dr. Laura Carbone has opened up a lot of doors for me,” says Dr. Le. “I wouldn’t have such a great relationship with…

UHC Expands Pilot Lab Benefit Management Program

From the College | October 5, 2016

UnitedHealthcare recently announced plans to expand its pilot Lab Benefit Management Program to Texas, as of March 1, 2017. The pilot program, which is administered by BeaconLBS, was first launched in Florida in October 2014. Under the pilot, providers are required to use a tool called Physician Decision Support to order certain labs for UHC…