With new efforts to improve chronic care management of patients with rheumatic diseases as well as to promote early screening and prevention if possible, Dr. Harrington says the challenge to align clinical practice in a way that meets the needs of patients and rheumatologists in practice is a long-term project. “We continue to move from reactive medicine to primary prevention. How will the system manage this change?” he says. “The impact of current and pending technological advances and practice efficiencies is difficult to quantify,” says the ACR report. “Moreover, future changes not anticipated here will undoubtedly have effects.”
Terry Hartnett is writing the workforce study series.
