Let’s get to the point. Life is busy. Between my job as a rheumatologist, my volunteer work for the ACR, and parenthood, staying organized is a challenge. I’ve tried numerous organizational strategies whose logistics failed to meet my needs. My online calendar was too small to add detail. Events I needed to track monthly or…
Studies related to acupuncture and tai chi show some benefits for patients with musculoskeletal disorders, such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. When patients ask about these integrative health approaches, rheumatologists should recommend they use qualified, experienced practitioners.
Spam, spam, advertisement, spam … wait wait, what’s this? A small envelope, addressed from Maine. I wonder what this is about? Usually, when I get an envelope this size, it’s a letter from someone trying to sell me something or complain about something I have no control over. So imagine my surprise when I found…
Admittedly, there’s not much to see on a country road 100 miles southwest of Iowa City, Iowa. It’s especially true in winter, when a blanket of white snow obscures any and all features of the seemingly endless fields of corn and soy. In the radiance of fresh snow on a bright winter day, even the…
Are you happy? This may be a question born of the pandemic. Pre-pandemic, I used to quote William Osler, MD, who simultaneously founded the Department of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and created the modern system of medical education. He opined: The practice of medicine will be very much as you make it—to one,…
Pain is more than nociception, and pain management is more than medication. Delia Chiaramonte, MD, provided insights into how rheumatologists can help their patients ease and manage chronic pain.
Because rheumatologists and mental health experts both treat patients with depression, anxiety, pain, disability and sleep disorders, provider cross-training may benefit patients and providers themselves. “When a patient has active psychosocial distress, this has a negative effect on their physical function. Similarly, if a patient has active physical symptoms, like a rheumatoid arthritis flare, this…
Physician burnout takes a toll not just on providers, but on their patients and practices as well. Speakers at a recent ACR town hall provided research-based tips to help address the root causes of burnout.
Two sessions at ACR Convergence 2021 addressed a holistic approach to taking care of older patients with RA & other rheumatic diseases.
The impressive progress of medical knowledge and technology reinforces our trust in the scientific methodology that made it all possible. However, that progress also creates risks related to the primary goal of medical care: to serve our patients’ interests and enjoyment of life in the best possible way. In this article we present our views…