If you had asked Ray Waldrup in 1981 what he would be doing in 2018, serving as the CEO of the largest rheumatology practice in the U.S. would probably not have been his first guess. Back then, as a young college student in Georgia, Mr. Waldrup took a job at a national jewelry retailer and…
Robert Finberg, MD, chair of medicine at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in Worcester, describes Ellen M. Gravallese, MD, as one of a dying breed: a quadruple-threat physician who excels in basic science research, clinical care, teaching and administration. Dr. Gravallese holds the Myles J. McDonough Chair in Rheumatology, is professor of medicine and serves…
The underlying tenet of the ACR’s advocacy efforts is that we cannot effect change for our profession and our patients unless we take our issues directly to decision makers. As I write this column, I am highly encouraged by the progress we have made so far this year in the advocacy realm. At the same…
“Wait. I can explain.” One could imagine this phrase coming up under many conditions in daily life. When I first became a physician, however, I would never have expected to use this phrase in my clinic. In medical school, I was taught the importance of dialogue in establishing a relationship with a patient. Statistics indicate…
With extensive clinical trial data being published daily, how does a rheumatologist stay up to date on latest breakthroughs? Rheumatologists can leverage multiple online resources to stay informed and apply information to patient care…
A recently published research review notes physician burnout has become a crisis in the U.S. The authors describe how the added administrative tasks of electronic health records (EHRs) have contributed to the crisis, as well as how regulatory requirements and EHR platform design exacerbate the situation…
SAN JOSE, Calif., (Reuters)—At its Silicon Valley headquarters, network gear maker Cisco Systems Inc. is going to unusual lengths to take control of the relentless increase in its U.S. healthcare costs. The company is among a handful of large American employers who are getting more deeply involved in managing their workers’ health instead of looking…
Greetings, Advocates! In my last update, I described the great news from February’s budget agreement that fixed Medicare’s payment adjustments so MIPS penalties would not include Part B drug costs, ensuring stabilization of the Medicare Part B drug system, among other successes. (Read the ACR’s press release on this topic.) I also described the Trump administration’s…
The ACR’s ability to address the big picture of rheumatologic care while focusing on individual practice and patient needs is one of the many things that attracted Luke Barré, MD, MPH, to the College early in his career. With training in both preventive medicine and rheumatology, Dr. Barré believes combined global and local views are…
It’s May, and soon, most state legislatures will be adjourning for the remainder of the year. Joseph Cantrell, JD, senior manager of state affairs for the ACR, who tracks the progress of state and federal patient care legislation, reports that several states saw solid gains during 2018 state sessions, which typically run from January to…