A recent pilot study explores the feasibility of virtual reality-based pain interventions for people with rheumatic conditions.1 Although the work is in its early stages, it may someday represent a new non-pharmacological tool for patients with chronic pain. VR for Treatment R. Swamy Venuturupalli, MD, FACR, is an associate clinical professor of medicine at the…
In an ACR Convergence session, two rheumatologists discussed how COVID-19 changed the use of telemedicine, how payers reacted and which changes are likely permanent and which are likely to be temporary.
TOKYO (Reuters)—The coronavirus crisis has prompted Japan to ease regulations on remote medical treatment, creating an opening for tech companies and offering a glimpse of the future of healthcare in the world’s most rapidly aging society. As coronavirus cases spiked in April, Japan temporarily eased restrictions on remote medical care, allowing doctors to conduct first-time…
SHANGHAI (Reuters)—China’s health tracking QR codes, which have played a key part in the country’s successful containment of COVID-19, now look set to play a much broader role in daily life as local authorities dream up new uses for the technology. Embedded in the popular WeChat and Alipay smartphone apps, the codes use self-reported and…
(Reuters Health)—Patient portals at U.S. hospitals leave a lot to be desired in terms of privacy when individuals want to share access with an informal caregiver, a new study finds. At nearly half of 102 hospitals included in the study, personnel advised that patients share their account password to give access to a family member…
How are COVID-19 and physical distancing restrictions at work affecting rheumatology professionals? The Rheumatologist interviewed clinical pharmacist Wendy Ramey, BSPharm, RPh, CSP, to discuss how the pandemic has changed the way her staff supports rheumatologists at the University of Kentucky Specialty Pharmacy and Infusion Services, Lexington. Ms. Ramey describes how these unprecedented times affect patients,…
(Reuters Health)—More than 70% of healthcare data breaches in the U.S. have involved sensitive demographic or financial information that could fuel identity theft, a new study suggests. When a healthcare company is hacked, criminals gain access not only to health information, but also to demographic and financial data that could compromise patients’ privacy and financial…
A clinician’s ability to determine which patients are at greatest risk for hip or other fracture is improving with the use of algorithm-based fracture risk calculators…
From digital scribes to predictive pharmacology—as artificial intelligence advances, technology has a lot to offer medicine. What opportunities lie ahead for rheumatologists and their patients?
CHICAGO—Approximately 200,000 health apps are available through major app stores. Some offer real benefits, said Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, director of health services research at Cedars-Sinai Health System, Los Angeles, Calif. But most, he told attendees at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, are “rubbish.” “They do one or two things only—and generally not well,” he…