Another focus for the coming year will be membership models. We’ve already developed some models over the past couple of years, and one of those is a physician-practice team model that we have piloted. In this model, the team includes the physician and other rheumatology professionals, such as PAs, NPs and physical therapists. It has worked well on many levels, including to underscore the benefits offered by the ARP, which helps to increase the number of members and to provide access to our educational resources to more healthcare professionals. That is good for the ARP, ACR, our field and our patients. There are now opportunities to expand on that model in different directions, perhaps to encompass physical therapy practices or other groupings, but that will require continued evaluation of those models throughout the next year and onward. I am looking forward to that.
TR: Are there any other initiatives you hope to emphasize in the coming year?
Dr. Goode: Another ongoing initiative is to increase the visibility and awareness of the diversity of rheumatology professionals, and what they can add to the healthcare team. That continues to be a priority for ARP and our interdisciplinary community and should be on the mind of every ARP president.
And of course, the workforce shortage is a big challenge, and that shortage is not only in the overall number of rheumatology professionals, but also about their distribution, because many areas remain underserved. We will continue to consider ways to address that as well.
TR: Let’s change gears and talk about you personally. What is something that ARP members may not know about you and that you’d be willing to share?
Dr. Goode: Well, since I was in high school, I have thoroughly enjoyed playing table tennis. In fact, there’s a ping-pong table sitting right around the corner from my office. That hobby has been sidelined a bit because I have an 8-year-old son, so I am instead constantly throwing around the football or playing sports with him. That has been great, but I am looking forward to getting him into table tennis. He’s not quite ready yet, but I think we’re close!
Leslie Mertz, PhD, is a freelance science journalist based in northern Michigan.
