As rheumatology care evolves into a team-based approach, the workforce is expanding to incorporate advanced practice providers, physical therapists and social workers, all of whom can play vital roles in patient care.
Nurse Practitioners Deliver as Part of the Rheumatology Team
The upcoming 2023 Nurse Practitioner Week, Nov. 12–18, was good reason for Debbie Durkee, RN, MSN, FNP-C, to reflect on the profession and its growth, her years in practice, and the importance of active participation in the ARP. Unlike many who go into the field, Ms. Durkee never felt drawn to nursing as a child,…
The ACR & ARP Relaunch the Advanced Rheumatology Course
The ACR and the ARP are preparing to relaunch the Advanced Rheumatology Course (ARC) with a fresh look and an enhanced format to facilitate the learner experience. Since its debut, the ARC, formerly the Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant Postgraduate Rheumatology Training Program, has been a valuable resource for hundreds of nurse practitioners (NPs), physician…
Tips to Alleviate Rheumatologist Burnout
Because rheumatology is a complex cognitive specialty, rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals often see patients repeatedly for acute and chronic problems. Although that may lead to close relationships with patients, it may also make the specialty more prone to burnout, says Peter Y. Hahn, MD, MBA, CEO of University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, Mich. “It can…
ARP Launches Boot Camp for Advanced Practice Providers New to Rheumatology
The 2015 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Workforce Study projected that by 2030 the number of adult rheumatologists will decline by 25%.1 The result: Demand for rheumatologists is projected to be more than twice the available supply of providers by 2030. Advanced practice rheumatology professionals can help practices overcome the barrier this mismatch will create…
Healthcare Extenders Can Reduce Physician Burden & Improve Patient Access & Care
In the early 1900s, the treatment for rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease (RMD) was primarily targeted at symptomatic relief and included analgesics, physical therapy, splinting and bed rest. With the discovery of methotrexate and its impact on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management, a much-needed evolution of medications targeting disease activity began. Over the past 30 years, several…
Coding Corner Answers: Using NP/PA Services in Practice
Take the challenge. Scenario 1—A: The nurse practitioner may act as the supervising physician if it’s within the scope of practice for the NP and should be coded as follows: CPT: 96413, 96415, J1745 x 30, J1200 x 1 Diagnosis ICD:10: M05.79 Scenario 2—A: To qualify as an incident-to service, the PA can provide the…
Coding Corner Questions: Using NP/PA Services in Practice
Scenario 1: Direct Billing A 70-year-old female patient with rheumatoid arthritis in multiple joints and positive rheumatoid factor returns to the practice for her fourth infusion of infliximab with the nurse practitioner (NP). She reports no fevers, cough, dyspnea or concurrent illness. She rates the severity of her joint pain at 6 on a 10-point…
Tactics for Bolstering the Rheumatology Workforce
ATLANTA—The rheumatology profession faces a severe shortfall of practitioners that threatens the ability to address patients’ needs. “Even if we doubled the number of positions for fellowship training, we wouldn’t meet the increasing demand on our workforce,” said Marcy B. Bolster, MD, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston, and director of the…
The ARP Aids Rheumatology Workforce Expansion Via Online Education
The Advanced Rheumatology Course (ARC) carries the distinction of being the first online educational product of the ACR/ARP. In the early 2000s, members of the College thoughtfully considered action needed to efficiently prepare health professionals looking to enter the rheumatology workforce. A decision was made to create online educational products with the specific target audience…