Rheumatology has arguably benefited like no other field from the proliferation of an increasingly effective pipeline of therapeutics. These medications have dramatically raised the bar for clinical outcomes for our patients in a way that we could not have envisioned a short generation ago. With such therapeutic progress now reaching a widening circle of rheumatic…
As practice administrator for the past nine years at Emerald Coast Rheumatology in Lynn Haven, Fla., Andre Smith has worked to expand what was a single-provider, three-employee practice into an 8,000-square foot rheumatology clinic and 18-chair infusion center with two additional providers. Although not all rheumatologists have a practice administrator on staff, those who do…
As a health educator at Integrative Rheumatology, a private practice in Charlotte, N.C., Latisha Williams, MPH, CHES, CHC, works with patients to teach them how to better manage their disease. In the two-and-a-half years that Ms. Williams has worked at Integrative Rheumatology, she’s answered countless questions about exercise, nutrition and complementary therapies, among other topics. “Patients…
EULAR 2020 e-CONGRESS—People with rheumatic diseases have more difficulty than others leading a work life, and researchers are attempting to quantify just how long they are able to remain healthy and working compared with the general population. This topic is particularly pressing because people are now expected to work for a longer and longer periods…
Editor’s note: EULAR 2020, the annual European Congress of Rheumatology, which was originally scheduled to be held in Frankfurt, Germany, starting June 3, was moved to a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. EULAR 2020 e-CONGRESS—Although reducing medications is a reasonable option for some patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—reducing cost and giving them a…
SNOWMASS VILLAGE, COLO.—Choosing the right treatment at the right time is the brass ring all rheumatologists hope for. Precision medicine provides the ability to leverage clinical, biomarker and omics data to predict and personalize future treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). “New data and new methods to analyze the data are helping us better predict patterns…
A collection of compelling interviews conducted with rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals focusing on their experiences thus far in the COVID-19 pandemic.
A 17-year-old girl presents to the pediatric rheumatology clinic for follow-up of recently diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) characterized by class IV lupus nephritis, photosensitive rash and antiphospholid antibody positivity. She is currently being treated with prednisone, mycophenolate mofetil, and hydroxychloroquine. She is accompanied by her mother, who has been very involved in the patient’s…
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities. This law, and amendments passed in 2008, resulted in rules and regulations opening access to private settings serving the public, including doctors’ offices and medical facilities. The ADA includes a three-pronged definition of disability. If any…
ATLANTA—Managing teenage patients may present challenges for pediatric rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals not only because of their often complex, rare conditions, but because teenagers are, well, teenagers. Teens may experiment with sexual intercourse, alcohol use, tobacco or vaping e-cigarettes to fit in with their peers, even if these habits have serious health consequences, according to…