We know a large percentage of the U.S. population falls into a vaccine-hesitant group. In fact, only 60% of Americans plan to be vaccinated against COVID-19, according to an article in The Atlantic.1 Given that rheumatology patients are among the vulnerable, we asked a handful of ACR/ARP members whether they have been vaccinated themselves and…
“‘I didn’t say there was nothing better,’ the King replied. ‘I said there was nothing like it.’” —Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass “Why did I get this? Was it because of my diet? What should I eat now? What diet should I follow? Are there any natural treatments I can take instead of medications?”…
For years now, I have read The Rheumatologist cover to cover (but only glance at the ads, but don’t tell the advertisers that). Len Calabrese’s piece, “The Science of Empathy in Rheumatology” in the January 2021 issue, hits the central point in medical care. I would like to believe that it has been empathy that…
Navigating the healthcare system and its processes can seem overwhelming to patients. If patients understand why their clinician recommended something, know how and when to take medications, and why they shouldn’t skip a dose—or 10—they may not feel so out of control. Sharing examination notes with patients can be helpful to many patients who struggle…
It is nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. and the third wave is upon us, overwhelming hospital systems in many states across the country. But the alarms are being sounded for another looming pandemic as well. As early as spring 2020, significant increases were documented in the prevalence of depression and anxiety,…
Rheumatology has arguably benefited like no other field from the proliferation of an increasingly effective pipeline of therapeutics. These medications have dramatically raised the bar for clinical outcomes for our patients in a way that we could not have envisioned a short generation ago. With such therapeutic progress now reaching a widening circle of rheumatic…
As practice administrator for the past nine years at Emerald Coast Rheumatology in Lynn Haven, Fla., Andre Smith has worked to expand what was a single-provider, three-employee practice into an 8,000-square foot rheumatology clinic and 18-chair infusion center with two additional providers. Although not all rheumatologists have a practice administrator on staff, those who do…
As a health educator at Integrative Rheumatology, a private practice in Charlotte, N.C., Latisha Williams, MPH, CHES, CHC, works with patients to teach them how to better manage their disease. In the two-and-a-half years that Ms. Williams has worked at Integrative Rheumatology, she’s answered countless questions about exercise, nutrition and complementary therapies, among other topics. “Patients…
EULAR 2020 e-CONGRESS—People with rheumatic diseases have more difficulty than others leading a work life, and researchers are attempting to quantify just how long they are able to remain healthy and working compared with the general population. This topic is particularly pressing because people are now expected to work for a longer and longer periods…
Editor’s note: EULAR 2020, the annual European Congress of Rheumatology, which was originally scheduled to be held in Frankfurt, Germany, starting June 3, was moved to a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. EULAR 2020 e-CONGRESS—Although reducing medications is a reasonable option for some patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—reducing cost and giving them a…