In this episode, Dr. Kumar offers some advice for incoming rheumatology fellows: “Start constructing winner’s triangles.”
What Rheumatologists Need to Know About Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an acquired thromboinflammatory disease that can have severe, sometimes catastrophic, effects on patients and their families. Our modern understanding of APS began to emerge in the early 1980s. At that point, it was defined as a condition characterized by thrombotic episodes and/or pregnancy complications in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL).1…
Advice for New Rheumatology Fellows: Construct Winner’s Triangles
June is always a bittersweet month, at least in academic medicine. We get to look forward to a new fresh set of faces coming into our training programs, but we also have to say goodbye to those once-fresh faces that have progressed through their medical education journeys. These transitions are never easy, neither for the…
The Joy of Private Practice
For one Oregon rheumatologist, community practice offers a rewarding mix of patient care, teaching and family time.
When Rheumatologists Have Rheumatic Diseases
“I think we learn from medicine everywhere that it is, at its heart, a human endeavor, requiring good science but also a limitless curiosity and interest in your fellow human being, and that the physician-patient relationship is key; all else follows from it.”1 These profound words from Abraham Verghese, MD, MACP, Linda R. Meier…
Mental Health in Rheumatology
Regaining a sense of control, limiting responsibilities and engaging in mindfulness can help rheumatologists manage their mental health needs. Rheumatologists should also address the mental health concerns raised by their patients. Here are insights from a psychiatrist/rheumatologist.
FTC Bans Noncompete Agreements: What Rheumatologists Need to Know
The ACR applauds the FTC’s recent ban on most noncompete agreements. The ruling is a step in the right direction toward a more competitive market for healthcare workers and their services.
Commercial Payers Update Reimbursement for Underwater Infliximab Biosimilars
Three commercial health insurance payers have increased reimbursement for infliximab biosimilars in response to concerns that formulary requirements are leaving practices underwater.
Pharmacy Benefit Managers Under Scrutiny
“When pharmacy benefit managers [PBMs] came into being 30 years ago, they were seen as an important component of the prescription distribution system [because] they could guide benefits and money between the patient, pharmacy and the manufacturer,” says Angus Worthing, MD, president of the Alliance for Transparent & Affordable Prescriptions (ATAP). Health insurance companies hire…
My Experience at the Rheumatology Research Workshop
Dr. Mrinalini Dey of London was invited to present her research at the 2023 Rheumatology Research Workshop in Orlando. She describes the experience here.
Methotrexate Shows Promise for Hand Arthritis
Methotrexate—an affordable, established drug for rheumatoid arthritis—may also be helpful for patients suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) of the hand, a recent study reports.1 Treatment of hand OA and inflammation with 20 mg of methotrexate for six months had a moderate, but potentially clinically meaningful, effect on reducing pain and stiffness in patients with symptomatic hand…
Methylprednisolone & Methotrexate: Codes & Billing Updated
As of April 1, HCPCS codes for methylprednisolone have changed. The ACR is working with the CMS to determine how rheumatologists should bill Medicare corrrectly.
Ethics Forum: Regarding Chatbots in Rheumatology
Chatbots are not a new concept, but have recently gained popularity and traction. Launched in late 2022, ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) is a web-based platform designed to simulate interactive conversations and deliver real-time data. It has quickly become a tool that provides instantaneous information that can be more focused than a Google search.1 We,…
Biosimilars to Denosumab Approved with an Interchangeable Designation
The FDA has approved the first interchangeable biosimilars for denosumab.
Clinically Significant Pain Relief with a Non-Opioid Drug
In a phase 3 trial, treatment with VX-548 led to statistically and clinically significant improvements in pain compared with placebo.