Rheum for Everyone, Episode 24 (video)| Webinar: ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice

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

Guidance

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Figure 2: High-resolution computed tomography showed evidence of interstitial lung disease.

High-resolution computed tomography shows evidence of ILD.

The ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice, a video
In collaboration with the American College of Chest Physicians, the ACR released two new comprehensive guidelines aimed at improving the screening, monitoring, and treatment of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) secondary to systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs). Recently, Sindhu R. Johnson, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada, director of the Toronto Scleroderma Program and principal investigator for the guideline, and Elana J. Bernstein, MD, MSc, Florence Irving associate professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Columbia University, New York City, and co-first author, presented a webinar to talk about how the guidelines were developed and present some of the recommendations and their rationale: Watch the recording now!

 

Lively, Practical Training at Advocacy 101

Leslie Mertz, PhD  |  

Amid spirited discussions on drug pricing and insurance challenges, participants got hands-on experience advocating for current bills regulating prior authorization and pharmacy benefit managers.

A Look Inside the Advocate Experience at Advocates for Arthritis

Eric Dein, MD  |  

Eric Dein, MD, shared rheumatology perspectives with five congressional offices on Sept. 28 as part of the virtual Hill Day. Read his hour-by-hour account, including staffer education, legislative requests and prior authorization woes.

Nonserious Infection Rates with Biologics Used to Treat RA

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Bechman et al. set out to describe the frequency and predictors of nonserious infections and compare incidence rates across biologic DMARDs. They found all bDMARDs are associated with a greater risk of nonserious infection, with differences observed between agents. Although unmeasured confounding must be considered, the magnitude of effect is large.

Inspired by Healthcare Disparities to Advocate for Change

Leslie Mertz, PhD  |  

Seeing the challenges her rural patients faced in accessing specialty care, Amanda Schnell, MD, was inspired to make advocacy an integral part of her work at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

HIPAA and PHI Cybersecurity Best Practices in the COVID-19 Era

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When the first SARS-CoV-2 case was recorded, it was difficult to appreciate the extent to which cybersecurity concerns, particularly in connection to the protection of patient healthcare data, would enter into main­stream consciousness. Although many practices and healthcare organizations have recently adopted additional measures to safeguard patients’ protected health information (PHI) through expanded cybersecurity monitoring,…

Minnesota Joins Dakotas to Form Growing Rheumatology Association

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A relatively new state association, the Rheumatology Association of Minnesota and the Dakotas (RA-MD), held its first meeting in 2016. Five years later, the association president, Jody Hargrove, MD, a board-certified rheumatologist with Arthritis and Rheumatology Consultants PA, Edina, Minn., says the group’s membership fluctuates between 80 and 100 rheumatology professionals. RA-MD has members from…

A Look Back at the ACR’s Strong Response to COVID-19

David R. Karp, MD, PhD  |  

We are now a year-and-a-half into the COVID‑19 pandemic, and rheuma­tologists and rheuma­tology professionals are still facing some of the same challenges that began in spring 2020, as well as new ones. Most recently, we learned that COVID‑19 vaccine efficacy is reduced in some patients on immunosuppressive therapies and the need for additional immunization is…

Washington Pediatric Rheumatologists Eligible for Loan Forgiveness

Joseph Cantrell, JD  |  

The 2021–23 Washington budget enables consideration of pediatric rheumatologists for state loan forgiveness programs during the 2019–21 and 2021–23 cycles, making it the first state to include any rheumatologists in its loan forgiveness programs.

ACR Guidance on Tocilizumab Allocation During Shortage

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In June, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for tocilizumab (Actemra) for treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 adults and children who are receiving systemic corticosteroids and supplemental oxygen. Since this announcement, the tocilizumab manufacturer, Genentech, has not been able to produce enough product to meet the higher demand. The…