SAN DIEGO—At the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego last month, the ACR and the ARHP honored a group of distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to rheumatology research, education and patient care. This month, The Rheumatologist speaks with the ACR winners about their individual contributions to advancing rheumatology. In coming issues, we…
The healthcare industry is currently in an era of higher copays and deductibles, and effective patient collections are critical to the financial health of practices. The front desk staff of a practice is the first area to help with patient satisfaction and the key to a healthy revenue cycle. This front desk staff must collect…
Following the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting when the formal transition in volunteer leadership occurred, my overwhelming thought has been that it is an honor and privilege to serve you as the 81st president of the ACR. Honor stems from the heritage of excellence and progress that defines this organization. Privilege comes from the opportunity to…
Mysterious Ways The juxtaposition of the old and the new was readily evident that busy Wednesday morning. My first patient, a 94-year-old gentleman, Hal, arrived with a precise request. His rheumatologist for the past 40 years had just retired, and he was searching for a doctor with expertise in the use of gold sodium aurothioglucose,…
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters)—For Nancy Minoui of Portland, Oregon, and Crystal Lett of Dublin, Ohio, Congress’ failure to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program is not some distant tale of political wrangling. For Minoui, it’s about how to provide care for her daughter, Marion Burgess, born last Valentine’s Day with a hole in her heart. For…
(Reuters Health)— Postmenopausal women should not use hormone therapy to prevent chronic medical conditions, because the risk of significant side effects outweighs the unclear evidence of a benefit, according to a government-backed panel of experts. Most chronic conditions – coronary heart disease, dementia, stroke, fractures, and breast cancer, for example – are more common with…
In many regions, rheumatologists are scarce. But telemedicine offers rheumatologists the ability to treat patients who have difficulty accessing care. A panel at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting addressed the exciting prospects offered and ways to overcome its challenges…
If you’re aspiring to lead a rheumatology department, you will need more than what you learned in medical school. Beyond expertly treating patients and participating in research, these leaders must also understand management, mentorship and problem solving, as well as the business of running a successful department…
Sandra Mintz, MSN, RN, knew in high school that she wanted to be a nurse, and upon graduation, she did just that, the youngest in her class to graduate from Pasadena City College with an Associate of Science in nursing. Not long after embarking on her career, she received a life-altering medical diagnosis of her…
(Reuters)—U.S. drugstore chain operator CVS Health Corp said on Sunday it had agreed to acquire U.S. health insurer Aetna Inc. for $69 billion, seeking to tackle soaring healthcare spending through lower-cost medical services in pharmacies. This year’s largest corporate acquisition will combine one of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) and pharmacy operators with…