The RISE registry will continue to help with research, he added, indicating it now includes data equivalent to 3 million patients and 30 million visits.
The top challenge may be the rheumatology workforce shortage, with an estimated 40–50% of current U.S. rheumatologists expected to retire in the next 10 years, leading to a 25% reduction in the workforce.
“This constitutes an existential threat to our care for an increasing number of patients, resulting, in part, from a global silver tsunami,” Dr. Saag said. An ACR Workforce Solutions Committee is working on solutions to grow and sustain this workforce.
Burnout, limited interactions of trainees with scientists, demoralized scientists due to lost funding, and debt that limits career choices are all reasons for workforce shortages and low numbers of physicians doing scientific research, he said.
“Simply put, we need more funding, but in particular we must support those doing team science and translational research of greatest public health relevance,” he said.
The ACR is also working on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility issues with leadership development conferences, an ACR Convergence reception for under-represented medical professionals, and a new ACR subcommittee and diversity director, he said.
“We need to be a more representative specialty to enhance trust,” he said.
Rheumatologists also play a role in helping to dispel the mistrust of science that blossomed during the pandemic. Speaking out on the health impact of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, among other topics, is important for the ACR, but Dr. Saag said the College’s positions should be science based and not veer too far into the political.
“When society takes a wrong turn, and medical professionals go along, mistrust in medicine grows,” he said.
“Express your true opinions—if I can get my reticent patients in Alabama to take badly needed COVID vaccines, trust does matter. And our trusted expertise influences our patients’ actions,” he said. “Our lane, and the lanes of other medical organizations, are widening, and the ACR cannot and should not shy away from controversy. We should be doing this while representing our members fairly.”
Despite the challenges to medicine and science over the past three years, Dr. Saag said, “I’m an optimist even in these most polarized times.”
Thomas Collins is a freelance medical writer based in Florida.
