For many practices, the benefits of social media—connecting with patients and exchanging ideas with colleagues—outweigh the risks, says R. Swamy Venuturupalli, MD, FACP. If rheumatologists set strategies for engagement and help shape the conversations, social media can be leveraged for research, community outreach, patient support and more…
Brian Le, MD, a rheumatology fellow at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University (MCG), credits an excellent mentor and two Rheumatology Research Foundation preceptorships with guiding his career toward rheumatology. “Working with Dr. Laura Carbone has opened up a lot of doors for me,” says Dr. Le. “I wouldn’t have such a great relationship with…
Prior research has found that the use of surgery to treat osteoarthritis is increasing, while more conservative treatments, such as physical therapy, are underused. This disparity drove researchers to examine what influences a patient’s treatment choice. They found that a treatment’s characteristics—including a patient’s expectations for effectiveness and risk—affect decision making. Other influences: personal investment and circumstances, as well as support and advice from social networks and healthcare providers…
In 2010, the federal government published a guide, titled Basic Security for the Small Healthcare Practice, complete with best practices and checklists to help small providers achieve and maintain HIPAA compliance.1 This year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR)—following a critical report of its HIPAA compliance audit and enforcement…
In the coming months, rheumatologists may want to pay particular attention to their email inboxes. By the end of the year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will complete stage I, phase II of a series of desk and on-site audits designed to assess providers and their business…
The final milestone on the road to implementing ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision) is drawing near. The 12-month grace period is scheduled to end as of Oct. 1, 2016, but that date will most likely pass with little notice, because implementation appears to have gone well since Oct. 1, 2015. “On average, it…
Should cell phones and other personal devices be used for work communications in a medical practice? According to one expert, these devices are a liability to rheumatologists and other providers, who should develop and enforce strict guidelines in their practices…
A recent study of patients with psoriatic arthritis and cutaneous psoriasis found that these patients do not have a higher risk of worse outcomes after total hip arthroplasty compared with patients with osteoarthritis…
The benefits of exercise therapy for individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) are well known. The ACR strongly recommends both aquatic exercise and land-based aerobic and resistance exercise for managing knee OA.1 A recent Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that high-quality evidence supports the use of exercise to reduce pain and improve physical function and…
In a clinical trial, patients with osteoarthritis taking low-dose SoluMatrix meloxicam used less rescue medication to manage pain. Also, the FDA has issued a new warning against using oral ketoconazole off label to treat onychomycosis and fungal skin infections…