The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 NewsACR Convergence
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
      • Psoriatic Arthritis
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / The Personal Side of COVID-19: Q&A with Philip A. Waller, MD

The Personal Side of COVID-19: Q&A with Philip A. Waller, MD

April 3, 2020 • By Susan Bernstein

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

The outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is disrupting rheumatology clinics and practices all over the world. In the U.S., many providers are turning to telemedicine to care for their patients, but struggles remain. Philip A. Waller, MD, who practices at Accurate Clinical Research, Houston, spoke with The Rheumatologist about how the pandemic is affecting his research and clinic.

You Might Also Like
  • COVID-19 Reality Check: Collected Stories from Rheumatologists & Rheumatology Professionals
  • Providing the Best Care: Rheumatologists & Professionals Adapt to COVID-19
  • Rheumatology Biologic Expertise Valued for COVID-19 Treatment Decisions
Also By This Author
  • Experts Discuss the Latest Precision Medicine Research

Q: How are you and your staff adapting to the sudden changes brought about by the pandemic?
As of right now, I am still trying to see research patients in the clinic and give them their study medications. However, most studies have been put on hold, and some companies have put global holds on research protocols. … [The clinic has] laid off the majority of employees. Unfortunately, we have now had to let some employees go permanently. We are applying for loans and grants that are to be provided by the CARES Act, but that is going slowly. The few coordinators and other essential staff are working only 50% of their normal schedules. Most physicians who we do research with are seeing no patients at all, so no research patients are being seen at their clinics.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

Q: What types of appointments are you conducting?
On the clinic [non-research patient] side, we are doing 95% telemedicine visits. Patients who are on infusion treatments are still being brought into the clinic. They are isolated in an exam room. They cannot have fevers, recently traveled out of Texas, coughs, etc. We are also bringing in very few patients for joint injections—only if that treatment is absolutely necessary.

The majority of our patients are comfortable with telemedicine, and I have to admit it’s gone well for myself and mid-level [practitioners]. We are usually exhausted at the end of the day.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

So far, we have been able to keep some clinic employees, but they understand it’s a week-to-week process and layoffs may need to occur.

Q: What are you telling patients about COVID-19’s potential risks and symptoms? What are their chief concerns?
Most patients are quite comfortable being in their homes and still have access to medical care. Obviously, we are telling patients everything we know and do not know about the virus. Although most of our patients are on immunosuppressive drugs, they are not showing out-of-proportion concern or worries. They are staying at home, and again, with access to our staff and myself, they seem more comfortable. I have not had any patients—research or clinic—who want to stop their medicines.

Pages: 1 2 | Single Page

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Career, coronavirus, COVID-19, Practice Management, rheumatologists

You Might Also Like:
  • COVID-19 Reality Check: Collected Stories from Rheumatologists & Rheumatology Professionals
  • Providing the Best Care: Rheumatologists & Professionals Adapt to COVID-19
  • Rheumatology Biologic Expertise Valued for COVID-19 Treatment Decisions
  • Pharmacy Team Combats COVID-19 in NYC: Q&A with Mark J. Sinnett, PharmD, FASHP

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

Meeting Abstracts

Browse and search abstracts from the ACR Convergence and ACR/ARP Annual Meetings going back to 2012.

Visit the Abstracts site »

Simple Tasks

Learn more about the ACR’s public awareness campaign and how you can get involved. Help increase visibility of rheumatic diseases and decrease the number of people left untreated.

Visit the Simple Tasks site »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Cookie Preferences

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2023 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)