Handpicked Reviews of Contemporary Literature
Science from our Sisters
Recommended reading from A&R and AC&R
From Punch Cards to Patient Reporting
James F. Fries, MD, harnessed computers to address big questions
State-of-the-Art Care for Your Practice
Clinical updates from the ACR Symposium
Coding Corner Question
June’s Coding Challenge
Coding Corner Answer
June’s coding answer
Rheumatology Audioconference Series Recordings
If you missed the 2007 ARHP audioconference series the first time around, here’s your opportunity to catch up. Recordings of the six 2007 audioconferences are available for purchase individually or as a set.
Free Lupus CD
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases is offering a free CD entitled “Lupus and Other Related Information for You and Your Patients.” The CD contains Lupus: A Patient Guide for Nurses and Other Health Professionals, 3rd Edition.
Changes and Choices for Clinicians
Clinician members will have more than enough sessions to keep them busy at the ACR Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston this November. The Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) continues to use attendee feedback and member input to create a meeting that offers vital content to every attendee.
Reimbursement Questions? Contact the RAC
The ACR Regional Advisory Council (RAC) met in March to discuss reimbursement issues affecting rheumatologists in various regions. The RAC was established to assist physicians with reimbursement concerns.
ACR Rheumatology Workforce Study Results Online
Results from the 2005–2006 ACR Rheumatology Workforce Study are now available online, and the state of the workforce—and its future—is clearer than ever. The purpose of the study was to better understand the factors affecting rheumatologist supply and demand.
Reactive Arthritis
Reactive arthritis is highlighted this month in our ongoing series on patient education materials.
AC&R to Publish Monthly in 2008
In order to meet the increasing demand for rheumatology-focused articles, AC&R will begin publishing 12 issues per year in January 2008. AC&R publishes both original research and review articles that promote excellence in the clinical practice of rheumatology. Covered topics include evidence-based practice studies; clinical problems; practice guidelines; healthcare economics; healthcare policy; educational, social, and public health issues; and future trends in rheumatology practice.
Contact Congress Today about Medicare Reimbursement
Changing the Medicare physician reimbursement formula so that it more accurately mirrors the cost of care is a top legislative concern for the ACR this year. The reimbursement scale is currently calculated using the sustainable growth rate (SGR), which is based on the gross domestic product and is irrelevant to medical care. The formula has steadily decreased physician reimbursement since its inception.
ARHP Progress Report
The ARHP has made significant progress toward the goals identified in its long range plan for this year, and I would like to share some of these achievements with you.
ACR REF Niche Award Helps Define a Research Career
Joyce Hsu, MD, has always been interested in pediatric medicine and she found a perfect niche for herself in pediatric rheumatology. She completed a pediatric residency at the University of California, Los Angeles and worked as a general pediatrician for a year while considering rheumatology.
ACR Policy On Expert Witness Testimony
The ACR Board of Directors recently approved a policy and guidelines on expert witness testimony in medical malpractice litigation. Many ACR members have been called to testify in medical malpractice litigation—or will be called in the future—and the ACR recognized the need for medical expert testimony guidelines that serve the public interest by ensuring that testimony is readily available, objective, and unbiased.
Two Years of Helping Patients Obtain Prescriptions
April 5, 2007 marked the second anniversary of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA). Sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research companies, the PPA helps lower income, uninsured, and underinsured patients obtain prescription medicines for free or at nominal cost.
Some Lupus Tests Yield False Results
The ACR’s Regional Advisory Council (RAC) has received several member reports of false results on antinuclear antibody (ANA) tests. The test screens for systemic lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus, and other diseases. Results are used to direct treatment, so accuracy is crucial.
UnitedHealth Group to Require MRI Accreditation
Starting March 1, 2008, UnitedHealth Group will require all freestanding facilities and physician offices that perform MRIs and certain other imaging studies to obtain accreditation. Physicians without accreditation will not be reimbursed for the technical or global codes. UnitedHealth Group is the umbrella organization for insurance companies such as United Healthcare, Ovations, and AmeriChoice.
Letters to the Editor
Feedback from Our Readers
Why I Still Like Being a Rheumatologist
The rewards of practice outshine the lure of retirement
Medicare Quality Movement Reaches Clinicians
Physician Quality Reporting Initiative offers bonuses for clinicians and health professionals
NSAIDs: The Heart of the Controversy
Rheumatologists on the AHA statement and how to balance NSAID risks and benefits
Build Up Bone
Current management of osteoporosis
Rheumatology Drug Updates: Uncertain Future for Romosozumab, Plus FDA Approves Tocilizumab for GCA
Romosozumab’s Future Is Uncertain Romosozumab, which has the possible U.S. brand name Evenity, is awaiting approval from the FDA.1 The treatment is an investigational, injectable biologic for treating osteoporosis. It increases bone formation and bone density, reducing a patient’s risk of fractures. The manufacturer no longer expects the FDA to approve the drug this year…