2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting: Health Professionals In the Spotlight

In 2009, Mintz and colleagues developed support and education groups at CHLA. The forums meet every other month and help patients and caregivers better understand their diseases, as well as the importance of nutrition and exercise.

“We’ve had drum circles, yoga, and other young adult guest speakers who have lived with these conditions since childhood,” she explains. “The focus is teaching both kids and their parents how to live with their rheumatic disease. In the beginning, we had one organization, Lupus LA, supporting us. Within a year, we received a quality-of-life grant from the Arthritis Foundation to study and expand the program. Now, we’re completely funded through philanthropy from a number of donors and organizations.”

Q: What is the most fulfilling part of your job?

A: I love working with my patients and their families. I really enjoy being able to help them. It’s great when a patient says, “I get it now. I’ve never understood this, and now I get it.” … The most rewarding thing for me is when I can help them learn how to live with the disease better, learn how to understand it, how to make decisions with it, and not have it be the total focus of their life. And, essentially, live successfully with it.

Q: Any advice for adult rheumatologists caring for pediatric patients?

A: Really, it is about having good, collaborative relationships between adult and pediatric rheumatologists.

Q: What does the future hold for pediatric rheumatology?

A: We’ve seen so much happen in the age of biologics that we’ve also seen a number of challenges—battling insurance, getting treatments for our patients. I think rheumatologists have always been trendsetters, leading the way. I hope that, through ARHP and other organizations, we can find methods to get medications for our patients and continue to lead the way. We’re not the only condition these drugs are used for, but we are the leaders. I think that is the future.

Dr. Phillips

ARHP Lifetime Achievement Award

Marilee K. Phillips, RN

Rheumatology Nurse Specialist, Louisville, Ky.

Background: Phillips graduated from Charity Hospital School of Nursing in New Orleans in 1964 and spent the early part of her career working in a variety of hospital specialty areas. In 1974, she moved to Louisville and attended a course at the University of Louisville entitled, “New Directions for Women.” There she met Carolyn Neustadt, wife of David Neustadt, MD, then chief of the division of rheumatology at the university. The meeting set Phillips’ new career direction in motion.