(Reuters Health)—A growing number of patients are seeking care from rheumatologists for chronic health problems like arthritis, back pain and osteoporosis, just as the supply of specialists is shrinking, two new studies suggest. An estimated 6,013 clinicians in the U.S. specialized in rheumatology as of 2015, the equivalent of 5,415 full-time providers, according to one…
Search results for: Primary care
Family Planning Counseling & the Rheumatologist
Women with rheumatic diseases have unique reproductive health needs, and family planning counseling is a critical component to their overall healthcare. A new research review examines the barriers to patients with rheumatic disease receiving family planning counseling. Additionally, reviewers provide rheumatologists with practical suggestions to optimize communication with patients, as well as address the effect of medications and the effectiveness of contraception…
Service Dogs Aid RA Patients with Mobility, Chores, Companionship & More
Patients with severe RA can struggle with walking, getting dressed, carrying items and more, all of which can negatively affect their quality of life. But according to Bharat Kumar, MD, service dogs can help RA patients by providing both physical and emotional support, aiding patient mobility and quality of life…
Ethics Forum: Should Doctors Recommend Fitness/Diet Monitoring Devices?
The Case A 58-year-old patient with knee osteoarthritis has been decreasing her physical activity over the past several years due to painful joints, which has resulted in significant weight gain. At her appointment, you encourage her to engage in more physical activity and eat a well-balanced diet. A few weeks later, the patient returns to…
Fibromyalgia-Related Sleep Disorder Diagnosis & Treament Tips
When a patient has fibromyalgia, sleep troubles are the last thing they need. Unfortunately, sleep problems affect a large number of fibromyalgia patients, and those problems can turn into a vicious cycle that interplays with daytime pain and fatigue. “Pain and sleep disturbances are a double-edged sword,” says Elika Kormeili, MFT, a licensed clinical psychologist…
Medical Missions Allow Rheumatologists to Volunteer Around the World
For Daniel Albert, MD, a rheumatologist with the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., some of his most defining medical experiences haven’t taken place within his practice, but in exotic locales such as a rainforest on the island of Borneo. One of many physicians across the world who volunteer their time and expertise on medical…
Can Rheumatologists Prescribe Exercise as Medicine?
SAN DIEGO—Exercise, within limits imposed by an individual’s circumstances, is an almost universally beneficial medical therapy. In fact, Teresa J. Brady, PhD, senior behavioral scientist with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Arthritis Program, labeled it “medicine” in a session on exercise at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting Nov. 3–8. Dr. Brady asked whether…
Rheumatologists Can Now Treat Patients Via Telemedicine
SAN DIEGO—In many regions, rheumatologists are scarce, and shortfalls will only increase. Panelists in the session, Telehealth: Can It Expand the Rheumatology Workforce?, held Nov. 6 during the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, believe technology can help bridge the gap. The more specific term, telemedicine, “refers to clinical care delivered from a distance,” said John A….
Case Review: Lupus Patient with Acute Disseminating Encephalomyelitis
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune-mediated rheumatic disease characterized by multisystem involvement that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a rare, fulminant, autoimmune-mediated, demyelinating disease involving the white matter of the central nervous system (CNS), and is considered a manifestation of neuropsychiatric lupus. Few reported cases involve SLE and…
ACR Continues to Press CMS to Make Changes to E/M Codes
On Dec. 8, 2017, members of the Cognitive Care Alliance (CCA)—of which the ACR is a leading member—met with members of Congress on the Hill and representatives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to discuss ongoing concerns about the inadequacy of existing evaluation and management (E/M) codes to properly remunerate cognitive services…
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