Drs. Pincus, Yazici, and Martin Bergman, MD, a rheumatologist at Arthritis and Rheumatology in Ridley Park, Pa., presented a study at an ACR meeting documenting their comparison of the standard versus the MDHAQ. Each physician scored a HAQ, which took about 42 seconds. Then he or she scored the MDHAQ, which took 7.5 seconds. Dr. Pincus voiced frustration that despite results such as these, the HAQ or MDHAQ is not used more often as a clinical management tool. “It is curious that many rheumatologists say that they ‘don’t have time’ to use a questionnaire in patient care,” Dr. Pincus says. “I don’t have time not to use the questionnaire. … Our questionnaire saves me at least three minutes per patient—sometimes more.”
Undaunted, he continues to travel internationally, speaking and collaborating with researchers. With his indefatigable drive to advance the cause of patient self-report, Dr. Pincus keeps a full calendar of teaching, research, and travel. He has friends and colleagues all over the world, and he enjoys hiking in the woods near Nashville to relax. He often travels to Denver to spend time with his daughter and grandchildren. He’s also a lover of the opera (his current favorite is Johann Strauss’ “Die Fleidermaus”) and of the New York Times crossword puzzles.
With a reputation for straightforwardness, Dr. Pincus often cuts a colorful figure at meetings. Dr. Yazici finds this refreshing, and is impressed with Dr. Pincus’ strong opinions balanced by his approachability. “He won’t beat around the bush, so you know what he is thinking at all times,” Dr. Yazici. “But I think that’s a much better way to do business.”
Dr. Wolfe, also an avid advocate for and practitioner of patient self-report (he has used questionnaires for every patient he’s seen since 1974), has forged a strong personal and professional bond with Dr. Pincus. “Everywhere you go, you see Dr. Pincus telling people how important it is to use self-report questionnaires in clinical practice.”
If he is a restless spirit in his quest, Dr. Pincus is also a generous one. “Each year he edits supplements to medical journals summarizing the rheumatology literature,” says Dr. Wolfe. “He is selfless in doing all these things. He’s a very generous spirit, and he would go out of his way to help people. I think he’s a very good man. I’m glad that I’m friends with him and that he’s willing to have me as a friend.”
