But until then, Dr. Matteson says the ACR isn’t sitting still. Its outreach efforts are extending into many different areas.
During the next year, for example, he says the ACR plans to use traditional and social media, advertising in such forums as medical journals and Capitol Hill publications, continued grassroots outreach to like-minded organizations, and a number of other tactics to help fuel the campaign. The ACR also plans to introduce new members of Congress to the organization, its legislative priorities, and the Simple Tasks campaign and develop CME-accredited rheumatology courses for referring physicians. Likewise, the ACR’s white paper about rheumatic diseases will be updated and disseminated to lawmakers and insurance companies and also posted on the Simple Tasks website for the general public.
“We envision this as an ongoing campaign,” says Dr. Matteson. “We see this as something that’s going to require constant attention and be actively pursued into the foreseeable future.”
To learn how you can become involved in the Simple Tasks campaign, visit www.rheumatology.org to access the members-only toolkit or e-mail Suzanne Forte at [email protected].
Carol Patton is a freelance journalist based in Las Vegas.
