Like other areas of medicine, rheumatology is facing a significant workforce shortage. As documented in a recently published study by the ACR, the demand for rheumatology clinical services is expected to exceed the supply of rheumatology providers by 2030.1 Without a concerted effort to explore ways to retain rheumatology providers in the workforce, this imbalance…
Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities. According to the Genomic Resource Centre of the World Health Organization, each year 3,000–5,000 children are born with this chromosome disorder, and about 250,000 families have at least one member with Down syndrome in the U.S. Down syndrome is caused by numerical aneuploidy,…
As if the fatigue, joint pain, etc., were not enough, new research has found many lupus patients must contend with clinical depression as well—something that can have a devastating cascade effect on other areas of their lives. Are adults with childhood-onset lupus at greater risk of depression than lupus patients with onset of disease during…
Technology in medicine is no longer new or trendy. It’s pervasive. Rheumatologists may now assume a patient has searched online for information about his or her diagnosis or potential therapies. Both physicians and rheumatology health professionals should acknowledge their patients’ Internet surfing and find out what they’ve read, says Betsy Roth-Wojcicki, RN, MS, CPNP, an…
On May 16 and 17, ACR/ARHP leaders serving on the Board of Directors, Affiliate Society Council, Government Affairs Committee, Committee on Rheumatologic Care, RheumPAC Committee and Insurance Subcommittee once again went to Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of ACR/ARHP members and their patients. The group represented 27 states and the District of Columbia, and…
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…
Retirement is not always the closing chapter of a long career. For some rheumatologists, it’s the start of new, fulfilling storylines. “I never thought I wouldn’t practice medicine until I was physically unable to do it anymore,” says Harry Gewanter, MD, who retired from his Richmond, Va., pediatric rheumatology practice two years ago. Dr. Gewanter…
Many trainees tell me they’re attracted to rheumatology because it demands becoming a complete physician. We need knowledge of the brain, eye, lung, kidney, liver, skin, bones and vascular system to be effective rheumatologists. And because our diseases are frequently multisystem diseases, rheumatologists must be the quintessential collaborators. For more than 30 years, I’ve directed…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—An international task force says patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) should be treated to a target of clinical remission, among other new recommendations. “The Task Force is convinced that transferring (the recommendations) into clinical practice will significantly improve the outcomes in patients with JIA,” Dr. Angelo Ravelli of the Istituto G….
There has long been a wall separating adult rheumatologists from pediatric rheumatologists. A recent review article published in the January edition of Arthritis & Rheumatology (A&R) suggests that genetics, rather than age, may be a better way to categorize forms of primary inflammatory arthritis across the lifespan.1 “Pediatric and adult rheumatologists don’t generally interact that…