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

From the College

Congress Approves Six-Month “Doc Fix”—Now What?

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Congress’ May 24 vote to rescind the 21% Medicare pay cut for six months illustrates how important it is for rheumatology professionals and patients to be involved in the legislative process. It was the thousands of calls, e-mails, and letters from medical professionals and patients that spurred Congress to take action. However, the battle is not yet over. Medicare physician payments face the same 21% cut beginning December 1.

Social Media 101 for Rheumatologists & Health Professionals

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Ask any social media enthusiast to describe the value of social networking, and you will undoubtedly receive some variation of the following: Social media allows me to easily follow the latest news, converse with others about shared interests, and grow a virtual and face-to-face network. The most important thing for new users of social media to understand is that all forms of social networking—from Twitter to Facebook to YouTube—are only as valuable as the members of your social network. In other words, if you do not share common interests with the members of your online community, social networking will quickly become irrelevant and of little value. It’s about the relationships, not necessarily the technology.

Integrating the New Physician

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The diverse generations that are now a part of the work environment have unique perspectives and professional needs, and this holds true for rheumatology practices. Furthermore, senior and junior physicians have different work styles and needs. To succeed in this new era, both groups will have to learn from each other to make a practice successful and efficient. Here are a few tips to help.

What is ICD-9 Coding?

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The International Classification of Diseases Clinical Modification, 9th Revision (ICD-9 CM) is a list of codes intended for the classification of diseases and a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances, and external causes of injury or disease. The numerical format of the diagnosis codes usually ranges from three to five digits that are assigned to a unique category.

Networking Opportunities at Annual Meeting

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As the 2010 ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting continues to draw an increasing number of rheumatology physicians and health professionals, it has become vital to create forums that encourage a sense of community and bring value to the networking aspects of the meeting. The ACR and ARHP Annual Meeting Planning Committees continue to strive to provide more venues for meet-and-greets and improved opportunities for both professional and casual interaction among attendees.