CHICAGO—Rheumatologists often come to Brian Schwartz, MD, associate professor of medicine and vice chief for clinical affairs in the Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, with a concern: A patient on immunosuppression has a family member who needs a live vaccine, but the patient may be vulnerable to the vaccine’s effects. Should…
When Liz Morasso, LCSW, facilitates a Families Living with Rheumatic Diseases support group at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, she empathizes with the struggles and challenges of her young patients. Ms. Morasso was only 16 years old when she was diagnosed with both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). She knows all too well…
Are outcomes better in a specialized lupus clinic compared with care provided in a general rheumatology setting? New research from Rush University, Chicago, studies this important care management question and finds the specialized clinic does indeed produce better outcomes.1 A big part of the difference may be due to the added experience specialty clinic clinicians…
The ACR/ARP’s practice management division actively works to offer rheumatologists and their staff valuable, accessible resources to address practice issues. Our trained professionals provide the most up-to-date tools and resources to help improve practice efficiency and meet the myriad compliance obligations of the ever-changing healthcare landscape. The Practice Management Resource Center can assist with such…
Your 2018 MIPS performance feedback and final score from the CMS are now available on the Quality Payment Program website. To learn more about performance feedback, view the frequently asked questions document from the CMS. The payment adjustment you will receive in 2020 is based on your score for the 2018 performance year. If you…
CMS has begun data validation and audit for 2017 and 2018 MIPS performance years. Providers/practices selected for the audit will be notified via certified mail or email and will have 45 days from the date of notice to provide the requested information. For more information regarding the data validation criteria, visit the CMS Resource Library….
Rheumatologists, behavioral specialists, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals are working in the Autoimmunity Institute at Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, to care for the whole patient…
Join us in Atlanta Nov. 8–13 for the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting. Member registration is now open, including registration for the annual pre-meeting practice management workshop: Practice Matters—Navigating a Path to Success! (General registration opens June 26.) The 2019 workshop will focus on key practice matters. The goal of the pre-meeting workshop is to address…
Take the challenge. C—When an insurance carrier requests the medical record for a service performed, the practice should send all pertinent information to support the medical necessity of that service. For example, if the drug requires that a patient first be tested for tuberculosis and the patient should be on methotrexate or leflunomide, the note…
A private insurance carrier sends an audit request letter to a rheumatology practice to review its infusion medical records for the past 30 dates of service. What information should the practice send to the carrier? Only the infusion notes The complete notes for the requested dates of service only The complete notes for the requested…