Some people may think Pakistan and Oklahoma share little in common, but one recent graduate of the rheumatology fellowship program at Louisiana State University, Shreveport (LSUS), School of Medicine disagrees. Iman Qaiser, MD, MBBS, a native of Pakistan who is starting a role as the only rheumatologist serving the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, sees natural…
‘Better Equipped to Serve the College’: A Look at CORC Achievements Through the Pandemic
Outgoing CORC Chair Marcus Snow, MD, FACR, and the College look back on the tremendous achievements made during the past three years, including pandemic care guidance, improved patient access to care and direction through new biosimilars choices.
We Want You: Your Role in the CPT Valuation Process
Accurate reimbursement for rheumatology services ensures rheumatologists can run successful practices and provide needed care, but only if they speak up through survey input to explain how much that care costs. Here’s how to participate in the process when rheumatology CPT codes come up for review.
The ACR Launches Rheumatoid Arthritis Measures Toolkit
The new resource offers standardized outcome measures for providers who treat patients with RA, as well as training materials for medical staff to guide accurate and efficient data collection. It also includes video tutorials and sample workflows for different EHR systems.
Updates from the ACR Insurance Subcommittee Chair
The Insurance Subcommittee is working to address coverage and reimbursement challenges facing rheumatology practices. Recent activities include efforts to avoid increased administrative burden associated with specialty medications, support payer coverage of musculoskeletal ultrasounds and protect patient access to biologics.
The Vital Role of the Physician Assistant
A team approach is necessary to provide comprehensive care in today’s complex healthcare settings. And nowhere is the need for a cadre of medical professionals more evident than within the practice of rheumatology, where complicated diagnoses and tailored treatments are the rule rather than the exception. Among the highly trained members of these healthcare teams…
2024 Proposed Rule for the Quality Payment Program Released
See key changes for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System for the 2024 performance year as outlined in the proposed rule.
Ethics Forum: Thoughts on Managing Electronic Communication with Patients
Recent proposals in the U.S. to bill for electronic communication with our patients could be seen as a refreshing but contested attempt to battle burnout rates in the present era. A fee for electronic communications between patients and clinicians also acknowledges the value of the clinician’s time and expertise. But is this ethical? Discussion Burnout…
The Importance of Health Literacy in Clinical Care
EULAR 2023—It is not enough to practice medicine by the book; rather, communication with patients and understanding their goals for patients are vital to high-quality care. At EULAR 2023, the session titled The Promise of Health Literacy in Clinical Care provided a treasure trove of insights for many clinicians. Definitions & Actions The first speaker…
3 AC&R Study Summaries: Fractures in Patients with SSc, Clinical Response in JIA, & TV & the Public Perception of Gout
Fractures in Patients with SSc By Zsuzsanna McMahan, MD, MHS Why was this study done? To minimize disability due to systemic sclerosis (SSc), it’s important to prevent and manage complications. Many SSc complications and related medications may increase the risk for osteoporosis and fracture. We sought to identify modifiable risk factors for fracture in patients…