Susan Bernstein is a freelance journalist based in Atlanta. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla. Susan has worked as a professional journalist, writer, book author and editor for 25 years. She served in full-time positions with both the Arthritis Foundation and the American College of Rheumatology. She began working as a freelance journalist in 2011. Susan is the author of numerous Web and print articles on a variety of medical topics and is the author of three patient health books published by the Arthritis Foundation.
Two of the ACR’s Collaborative Initiatives (COIN) programs share a goal: to educate non-rheumatologist providers about systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) symptoms to facilitate referrals, accurate diagnosis and therapy. Small Group Provider Sessions Launched in 2016, Small Group Provider Sessions provide lupus education while connecting frontline providers to a local rheumatologist in often underserved areas. The… [Read More]
While African-Americans and Hispanics—especially women in these ethnic groups—are disproportionately affected by lupus, they are under-represented in clinical trials in lupus and other chronic diseases.1,2 With the help of a new federal grant, the ACR took the first step to address this lack of diversity in lupus trials this year. The ACR’s Collaboration Initiatives (COIN)… [Read More]
Technology in medicine is no longer new or trendy. It’s pervasive. Rheumatologists may now assume a patient has searched online for information about his or her diagnosis or potential therapies. Both physicians and rheumatology health professionals should acknowledge their patients’ Internet surfing and find out what they’ve read, says Betsy Roth-Wojcicki, RN, MS, CPNP, an… [Read More]
Each fall, the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting takes place in a major U.S. city. More than 15,000 people fill the cavernous halls of the area convention center and nearby hotels to attend scientific and educational sessions, scan the latest data on posters and mingle with colleagues at the annual Presidents’ Reception. What most attendees may not… [Read More]
How do you ask a new patient about sex and gender—or know which pronoun to use? Keep the conversation straightforward and respectful to put everyone at ease, says Morgan Orndorff, a transgender man who works as an administrator at a major academic medical center. “Everyone is a little different in terms of their sensitivity level”… [Read More]
In the U.S. today, approximately 45% of pregnancies are unintended or unplanned.1 Although this rate is considerably lower than in the past, women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or inflammatory myopathies tend to have better pregnancy outcomes if their disease is well controlled when they conceive. In addition, women taking certain medications… [Read More]
Retirement is not always the closing chapter of a long career. For some rheumatologists, it’s the start of new, fulfilling storylines. “I never thought I wouldn’t practice medicine until I was physically unable to do it anymore,” says Harry Gewanter, MD, who retired from his Richmond, Va., pediatric rheumatology practice two years ago. Dr. Gewanter… [Read More]
In a designation based on employee opinion, the ACR has been named one of the top places to work in Atlanta for the second year in a row. The honor is “a testament to the supportive and enthusiastic environment that we foster,” says ACR Executive Vice President Mark Andrejeski…... [Read More]
SAN DIEGO—Recent research tells us more about giant cell arteritis (GCA) to help rheumatologists more accurately diagnose and effectively treat patients with this type of vasculitis. On Nov. 6 at the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, three experts explored the latest findings on GCA pathogenesis, diagnostic approaches, imaging modalities and growing treatment options. GCA: What’s Really Happening?… [Read More]
SAN DIEGO—What are the predisposing genes that suggest who will develop active systemic lupus erythematosus and who will stay healthy? Decades of research data help rheumatologists clarify this picture, says Argyrios N. Theofilopoulos, MD, professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. At his Nov. 5 lecture at the 2017… [Read More]