Frailty & Prefrailty in Patients with RA TNF-α inhibitors associated with higher infection risk By Namrata Singh, MD, MSCI, Katherine D. Wysham, MD, James S. Andrews, MD, & Una E. Makris, MD Why was this study done? Frailty and prefrailty are more common and occur at a younger age in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)…
A World of Difference: Updates from the Global Rheumatology Summit
The second annual Global Rheumatology Summit focused on climate change, conflict and migration, as well as other global issues in rheumatology.
State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium Premeeting Courses Feature Billing, Coding & Insurance Opportunities
Courses before the 2021 State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium will focus heavily on what’s new in practice, including mastering evaluation and management changes and access to treatments in rheumatology. Early bird registration ends March 31.
Until Broadband Access Improves, Telemedicine Won’t Help Rural Communities
(Reuters Health)—Telemedicine has been touted as a solution to the dearth of doctors in rural America. But the same places where residents must drive many miles to see a physician often also have limited broadband access, a new study suggests. About 25% of Americans live in rural communities while a mere 10% of physicians practice…
Insurance Subcommittee Responds to Health Plan Complaints
The ACR Insurance Subcommittee (ISC) regularly engages with insurance companies to discuss concerns raised by ACR members and advocate for appropriate coverage and payment policies. The ISC has gotten off to a busy start in 2017, working on a variety of patient access and reimbursement issues. Two recent issues the ISC has taken action on…
From the Expert: Patient Access Is Key for Biosimilars in Development to Be Effective
Recent research by Michael Weinblatt, MD, and colleagues has demonstrated that a biosimilar derived from adalimumab is both effective and safe for treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis. But Dr. Weinblatt says, the benefits of such biosimilars hinge on cost and patient access…
New Venture Aims to Fill Customer-Service Void in Healthcare
(Reuters)—Three large U.S. venture capital firms are betting that hospitals will buy into a new service designed to help healthcare providers treat their patients more like upscale hotels treat their customers. The new company, called Docent Health, is creating software and mobile applications that will help organize and monitor every aspect of an individual’s hospital…
Smartphone Apps Make Virtual House Calls
Telemedicine apps used on mobile devices may help rheumatologists connect with select patients, increasing practice efficiency and patient access to treatment…
Telehealth Visits May Be an Option After Surgery
(Reuters Health)—People may happily, and safely, forgo in-person doctors’ visits after surgery by opting instead for talking with their surgeons by phone or video, suggests a small study of U.S. veterans. Most patients preferred the virtual visits and the doctors didn’t miss any infections that popped up after surgery, the researchers report in JAMA Surgery….
China to Expand Medical Insurance for Major Illnesses
BEIJING (Reuters)—China will expand medical insurance to cover all critical illnesses for all urban and rural residents by the end of the year, the cabinet said on Sunday, the latest step in a plan to fix a healthcare system that has sparked public discontent. The State Council said 50% of the medical costs will be…