A new presidential administration took office in January 2017. Although no one truly knows what directions our government and economy will take, one projection is that healthcare regulatory and insurance coverage policies will change, possibly dramatically. In a time of uncertainty, rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals can turn to the ACR/ARHP for support, guidance and…
Ten years have elapsed since the ACR conducted its last workforce study, and we know that much has changed. The comprehensive patient-centered, integrative approach to the 2015 ACR/ARHP Workforce Study of Rheumatology Specialists in the United States (now publicly available) describes the character and composition of the current clinical workforce, recognizes demographic and employment trends,…
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty together again. —Mother Goose I feel like a female Humpty Dumpty. Recently I took a great fall, and now I am in the process of being put together again. I was…
(Reuters Health)—Many patients haven’t heard of biosimilars, generic versions of complex biotech drugs, and even some who say they’re familiar with these medicines may still be confused about them, a small European survey suggests.1 To see what patients know about biosimilars, researchers analyzed data from online surveys completed by 1,181 patients with irritable bowel disease…
Patient education has always been at the core of the nursing profession. Nurses pride themselves on being great teachers and patient advocates. When self-injectable biologics were first introduced to the market, one of the main goals was to make patients independent and put them in the driver’s seat of their own care. Yet without a…
(Reuters Health)—Doctors and nurses in a Canadian intensive care unit found that asking dying patients—or their families—to make three simple wishes, and then fulfilling those wishes, helped bring peace to the end-of-life process and ease grief. Patients and families were invited to participate in the “Three Wishes Project” after a decision was made to withdraw…
In late March 2012, I awoke with pain in my left hand. I had difficulty moving my metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints. They did not move smoothly, but clunked. As I repeatedly attempted to open and close my hand, I realized that I had morning stiffness. As the pain and stiffness gradually improved over the next hour,…
Physical activity can improve mobility, strength and bone health, reduce fall risk for patients with RA
Physicians find patients’ interaction with their digitized records can improve engagement, outcomes
Health information technology may distract physicians during exam room visits with patients