Like the medical profession itself, the education of doctors serving in rheumatology fellowships across the nation marches on despite the unexpected hurdles posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Practice Changes “The pandemic has changed the way our fellows see patients; we are now seeing almost all patients using telemedicine,” says Bonita Libman, MD, FACR, FACP, fellowship…
If you’re a rheumatologist, you likely remember the moment of truth on your match day—the day of revelation, when the complex computer algorithm set up by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) accommodates the wishes of programs and applicants and then discloses into which program an applicant has been placed. Although it has always been…
No event in recent history has caused such far-reaching changes within the medical industry as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Similar to its ability to spread indiscriminately—infecting people regardless of age, race or socioeconomic background—the virus is inducing immediate and, likely, permanent changes across the entire spectrum of healthcare. Comfortable routines of healthcare delivery have been…
These are difficult times for rheumatologists. We have seen sharp declines in face-to-face patient visits since the COVID‑19 pandemic began. Many of us have questions about the best ways to maintain employee and patient safety while keeping our practices afloat and continuing to provide optimal care. The volunteer leaders at the ACR continue to care…
TOKYO (Reuters)—The coronavirus crisis has prompted Japan to ease regulations on remote medical treatment, creating an opening for tech companies and offering a glimpse of the future of healthcare in the world’s most rapidly aging society. As coronavirus cases spiked in April, Japan temporarily eased restrictions on remote medical care, allowing doctors to conduct first-time…
In 2018, Gerson Bernhard, MD, FACP, MACR, received a call from a primary care physician at a rural clinic in Florida who was treating patients with varying degrees of arthritis. One patient’s case was more complex than the others. Dr. Bernhard guided the doctor through the patient’s history, reviewed lab results, referred related studies, expanded…
As president of the Georgia Society of Rheumatology (GSR), Wambui Machua, MD, a rheumatologist with Piedmont Physicians Rheumatology, Atlanta, oversees a membership of 90 rheumatologists, six orthopedists, two nurses, 85 physician assistants and 27 fellows and residents. According to Dr. Machua, the GSR, founded in 1967, continues to pursue its original mission of providing educational…
With telemedicine platforms and Zoom calls, technology is playing a large role in how rheumatology fellows are seeing patients and participating in lectures and conferences…
As state rheumatology societies go, the Nebraska Rheumatology Society (NRS) is one of the new kids on the block. Established two years ago, the NRS hopes to involve all 27 rheumatologists across the state. Marcus Snow, MD, a rheumatologist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, says the state’s rheumatologists are spread across…
Telerheumatology—which refers to the application of electronic communication technology to clinical encounters from a distance between rheumatologists and their patients—has the potential to extend a workforce projected to experience significant shortfalls, making it more accessible to more patients. Multiple barriers that stood in the way of taking full advantage of this promise are now down—at…