Video: Every Case Tells a Story| Webinar: ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

From the College

REF Volunteer Brings Passion for Communicating to New Program

  |  

When the ACR REF recently sent out a call for volunteers for the newly created From the Field speakers’ bureau, Alan W. Friedman, MD, responded right away. “It’s exactly what I’ve been doing all along,” he says. “I want to bring my enthusiasm for the cause to other people.”

MUEs and Muscular Ultrasound Guidance: An Unlikely Story

  |  

Medically Unlikely Edits (MUEs) were launched on January 1, 2007 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce the paid claims error rate for Medicare Part B claims. The function of MUEs is to detect and deny unlikely CMS claims for a Medicare patient on a single, 24-hour date of service on a prepayment basis. This is achieved by limiting the frequency of services provided by a physician or medical supply company.

Learn How the ACR is Advancing Rheumatology on Capitol Hill

  |  

While you are at the 2011 ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting learning about the latest advancements in rheumatologic care, stop by the Advocacy kiosk at the ACR Resource Center to discuss the latest developments in health policy. Currently, medicine is on the verge of great change with Congress discussing everything from physician payment reform to cuts to biomedical research and medical liability reform. The ACR advocates on behalf of the rheumatology profession and our patients and is actively pursuing the following issues:

Back Pain and the Role of the Physical Therapist

Andrew A. Guccione, PT, PhD and Jan K. Richardson, PT, PhD, OCS  |  

Back pain is a common occurrence, so much so that most adults will have at least one episode of back pain at some point in their lives. Fortunately, most of these episodes last only a few days and resolve if patients maintain normal activity levels, avoid the detrimental effects of too much bed rest, use over-the-counter pain relievers with caution, and seek the attention of a health professional if the pain or other symptoms persist or worsen over time.

Meaningful Use and Patient Engagement – Supporting eHealth Literacy

  |  

It is no surprise that understanding health information and navigating the U.S. health system can overwhelm even the savviest patients with advanced literacy skills. Data from the National Adult Literacy Survey suggest that nearly 50% of all adults have problems understanding many aspects of healthcare, including prescriptions, appointment slips, and health education materials.

Networking Opportunities Abound

  |  

Networking opportunities can make a large educational conference experience feel truly meaningful, memorable, and beneficial. Make your annual meeting experience memorable by participating in networking options that appeal to you.

ACR Member Named PPAC Physician Researcher of the Year

  |  

Captain Lisa Rider, MD, a physician-scientist and clinical researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., was named 2011 Physician Researcher of the Year by the Physicians Professional Advisory Committee of the United States Public Health Service. The award was presented in recognition of her basic and clinical research into myositis. Her recent research findings have included: definitions of improvement as a primary composite endpoint for myositis clinical trials, discovery of a novel autoantibody in juvenile dermatomyositis and discovery of new immunogenetic risk factors for juvenile myositis. Her epidemiologic and clinical studies in myositis have made substantial contributions to public health practice.