Hosted by Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, FAAAAI, RhMSUS, physician editor, The Rheumatologist Amidst mounting excitement over emerging artificial intelligence tools, Dr. Kumar cautions against the expectation that technology will offer a quick fix to complex, systemic healthcare problems. Go to current issue.
Survey Reports Significant Frustrations Among Academic Physicians
Nearly one-third of academic physicians surveyed, including many rheumatologists, were considering leaving their institutions within two years of the survey, often because of a lack of professional fulfillment or from professional burnout, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open in fall 2023.1,2 That amount of physician turnover contributes to an interruption of patient…
Demystifying Artificial Intelligence in Rheumatology
As I was aimlessly browsing the web one night, I noticed a strange ad on the side. It was for a bird feeder powered by artificial intelligence (AI). I don’t know exactly what prompted the Google ad algorithm to show me this particular advertisement, but I was nevertheless struck by it. Against my better judgment,…
Workforce Solutions: Invite a Primary Care Provider to Shadow You
As Kimberly Steinbarger discussed in her article “Make Way for the Interprofessional Rheumatology Team” (The Rheumatologist, October 2023), an interprofessional team approach would be crucial to the most appropriate management of rheumatology patients with multiple comorbidities. Unfortunately, in many rural areas throughout the country, subspecialists are in short supply or are lacking altogether. Patients are…
How to Effectively Diagnose & Treat Macrophage Activation Syndrome
“As a resident, [I] felt pretty terrible when [we had] a very sick child and the teams [couldn’t] agree on what to do,” said Lauren Henderson, MD, MMS, on an episode of ACR on Air. She discussed the importance of collaboration across specialties in the identification and treatment of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS).
Consensus Guidelines on Diagnostic Approach to Giant Cell Arteritis Arrive from Society for Cardiovascular Pathology
At the end of 2023, the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology (SCVP) published consensus guidelines on the diagnostic approach to temporal artery biopsy.1 Through this publication, SCVP hopes to bring more uniformity to the processing, interpretation and reporting of these specimens, taking into consideration the most up-to-date literature available. These guidelines have obvious impact on clinical…
Dual Certification: Med-Peds Rheumatology Is a Small, but Growing, Specialty
Wondering how best to care for an adult patient with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis or a pediatric patient with early-onset osteoarthritis? Unsure how to manage a 23-year-old with chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis or an 8-year-old with tophaceous gout due to Lesch-Nyhan syndrome? Ask a Med-Peds rheumatologist. What Is a Med-Peds Rheumatologist? Med-Peds rheumatologists in the U.S….
Flipbooks: Patient and Family Education Tools
A school science project demonstrates that flipbooks can be a useful educational tool for patients and their families to learn about rheumatic conditions and their treatment.
CAR-T Cells: Are We Closer To Drug-Free Remission Than We Think?
Most Sunday mornings, I make myself an exceptional cup of pour-over coffee and sit down on my deck with the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. I check out the image of the week. I read the case report with pen in hand, racing to diagnose the patient before the authors spill…
A Fellow’s Experience at Advocacy 101
Rheumatology fellow Audrey Liu, MD, describes the excitement and empowerment of seeing first-hand the real-world impact of advocating for policies that support providers and patients.
Case Report: Diaphragm Ultrasound Reveals Shrinking Lung Syndrome
Shrinking lung syndrome (SLS) is a rare cause of dyspnea that has been most commonly described in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but is also found in systemic sclerosis, Sjögren’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Shrinking lung syndrome is characterized by a restrictive pattern on lung spirometry, despite normal lung parenchyma, and an elevated diaphragm.1…
The ACR to the CMS: What You Need to Know About Biosimilars and G2211
On May 23, Drs. Chris Phillips and Rebecca Shepherd, chairs of the ACR’s Committee on Rheumatologic Care and Insurance Subcommittee, respectively, and members of the ACR’s advocacy staff team met with officials from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to discuss concerns on underwater biosimilars and restrictions on billing G2211.
Federal Regulatory Actions Against Healthcare Consolidation
In recent months, the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have started to take action to rein in antitrust behavior, including banning noncompete agreements in the for-profit sector and establishing a taskforce on healthcare monopolies.
‘Be Proactive & Stay Active’: Advice to Patients
Magdalena “Maggie” Cadet, MD, a rheumatologist in New York City, remembers learning about the relationship between physical activity and bone health at a young age. She was 5 years old when she first began taking ballet, jazz and tap-dancing lessons. At 9, she became a competitive figure skater and practiced both dance and ice skating…
Government Affairs: A Marathon, Not a Sprint
Government Affairs Committee member Donald Miller, PharmD, reflects on the effects of rheumatology advocacy work over time, noting that progress is often easier to see from the distance.
Rheum After 5: Dr. Kai Sun, a Leap Day Mom with a Leap Day Baby
This past leap day (Feb. 29), Kai Sun, MD, MS, gave birth to her third child, a daughter named Chloe Gayoung Paik. What makes her daughter’s birth so unusual is that Dr. Sun, an assistant professor in Medicine at Duke University, Durham, NC, is also a leapling (or leaper). She was also born on Feb….
FDA Approves Tocilizumab Biosimilar; Plus New Lupus Drug in Early Trials
The FDA has approved tocilizumab-aazg (Tyenne), the first tocilizumab biosimilar, for treating rheumatic diseases, as well as the new drug application for CB-101, a chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy, for treating lupus nephritis and extra-renal lupus.
New Indications Possible for Bimekizumab-bkzx
The FDA has accepted applications for three new indications for bimekizumab-bkzx, a humanized interleukin (IL) 17A and IL-17F antagonist: psoriatic arthritis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
ACR Applauds Legislation to Reform Prior Authorization Policies
A new bill, the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, aims to streamline the prior authorization process. “The prior authorization process has become unmanageable for both doctors and patients. Insurer red tape imposes a significant burden on clinicians, leading to unnecessary and unclear delays, or even outright denials of patient care,” says ACR President…