Steven Echard Shares ACR Collaborative Plans at Florida Society Meeting

Also presenting at the meeting to discuss ACR collaboration was ACR treasurer Douglas White, MD, PhD, Gundersen Health System, Onalaska, Wisc. Dr. White and Iain B. McInnes, FRCP, PhD, University of Glasgow, U.K., reviewed highlights from the most recent European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) and ACR meetings, which Dr. White said were successful despite challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also noted how the ACR and EULAR continue to collaborate on criteria, research and education for the benefit of rheumatology on both sides of the Atlantic.

FSR’s Priorities Going Forward

Dr. Kromo

The FSR meeting, held July 9–11, was expected to attract more than 300 attendees, said Olga Kromo, MD, president of the Florida Society of Rheumatology and a rheumatologist in private practice at Rheumwell in Miami. Attendance has also risen from other Southeastern states, such as Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, Dr. Kromo said.

The FSR meeting has expanded to include the ACR/EULAR best-of-the-year update, as well as a fellows poster session with an award ceremony to celebrate the top three winners. The FSR also held its second Integrative Medicine Conference the day before this year’s main conference.

According to Dr. Kromo, ongoing priorities for the FSR include:

• Support and protection of the practice of rheumatology in Florida in the clinical, administrative and legislative arenas;
• Offering quality, cutting-edge educational content, including a two-day practice managers conference with a focus on practice efficiency and staff retention and training;
• More education and engagement for fellows; and
• More member engagement in legislative events.

Vanessa Caceres is a medical writer in Bradenton, Fla.