The deadline to apply for 2007 ARHP Graduate Student Recognition Awards is July 5. Last year, the ARHP successfully launched this new award campaign to recognize health professional students pursuing creative research or clinical projects that merge theory and clinical practice to assess or improve the lives of patients with rheumatic diseases.
The Quest for Quality
The ARHP has an important role to play as the ACR addresses the emerging quality movement in healthcare. Most healthcare professionals are familiar with terms such as quality assurance, continuous quality improvement, and total quality management. In the late 1980s, healthcare organizations, following the lead of the manufacturing industry, began to implement quality-management programs as a way to improve the quality and cost efficiency of healthcare services and meet rising consumer expectations.
ARHP Needs You!
I would like to personally invite every ARHP member to consider volunteering for an ARHP committee, task force, or other volunteer opportunity. Volunteer opportunities are available to all ARHP members, including international and associate members. Volunteering in ARHP is stimulating, rewarding, and a lot of fun!
Interprofessional Collaboration Opportunities Abound for ARHP Members
Meeting the needs of persons with complex, chronic diseases is increasingly challenging in a healthcare environment where the demand for high-quality comprehensive services is coupled with dwindling resources. According to the Institute of Medicine, “the ability to plan care and practice effectively using multidisciplinary teams takes on increasing importance as the proportion of the population with chronic conditions grows.”1 This kind of collaboration is increasingly important to ensure high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive patient-centered care.
AMA and ACR Physician Practice Information Survey
The American Medical Association (AMA), with the support of the ACR and more than 60 other medical specialty societies, will begin conducting a multispecialty survey of America’s physician practices this year.
The Value of Mentoring in ARHP
In today’s unpredictable healthcare environment, mentoring new healthcare professionals is more important than ever. Most of us have benefited from mentors: Individuals who provided us with the guidance, encouragement, and challenges to help us grow personally and professionally.
Time to Get Involved with ARHP
In June, the ARHP Nominations Committee will develop a slate of officers and identify volunteers to serve on committees and taskforces for the 2007-2008 leadership year. Volunteering is rewarding, offers a great education, and is an opportunity to meet colleagues across disciplines and geographical regions.
UPDATE: Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant Rheumatology Training Program
The ACR/ARHP NP and PA Post Graduate Rheumatology Training Program is well on its way to meeting its target for launching in fall 2007. This program grew out of needs expressed by members of ACR and ARHP as well as workforce changes.
ARHP Positioned for Continued Success in 2007
The ARHP is committed to advancing the knowledge and skills of health professionals in the area of rheumatology in order to improve health outcomes for people with or at risk for rheumatic disease and musculoskeletal conditions. In 2005, the ARHP Executive Committee developed a three-year, long-range plan, which identified the following priorities for our organization…
ACR Legislative Reception
The ACR Government Affairs Committee and ARHP Advocacy Subcommittee met in Washington, DC, on September 26 to discuss current legislative priorities and to participate in their annual legislative reception on Capitol Hill. Committee members and staff exchanged ideas on ways to increase advocacy and political involvement from ACR/ ARHP members. Increasing advocacy is a primary focus for the Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and Advocacy Subcommittee because it is essential that Congress be aware of the magnitude of our concerns.