A Roshi (i.e., master) apparently said that in Zen, “there is nothing to believe and everything to discover.” Interestingly enough, I have never been able to confirm who actually said that, which makes this saying about belief and discovery particularly apt. Regardless, I think about those words at least twice a day when I am…
Recent proposals in the U.S. to bill for electronic communication with our patients could be seen as a refreshing but contested attempt to battle burnout rates in the present era. A fee for electronic communications between patients and clinicians also acknowledges the value of the clinician’s time and expertise. But is this ethical? Discussion Burnout…
Disparities, representativeness, algorithmic bias, the disruptive emergence of large language models and continued misinformation spread are key issues poised to transform patient care in American healthcare, FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, MD, said during a recent event.
The public health emergency (PHE), in place since 2020, officially expired at midnight on May 11. The PHE declaration allowed significant flexibility in the healthcare system. The end of the PHE impacts several policies, including changes in Medicare and Medicaid policies. What do these changes mean for providers?
The issue of the rheumatology workforce shortage is certainly vexing. Not only does it leave large segments of the population without adequate care for patients with serious rheumatic diseases, but it also increases the burden on the few rheumatologists who serve populous, underserved regions of the country. Solutions suggested in The Rheumatologist (“ACR Workforce Solutions…
Racial Disparities in Lupus Clinical Trial Participation By Saira Z. Sheikh, MD Why was this study done? Lupus disproportionately affects Black and Latino populations, particularly women in childbearing years. Clinical trials of patients with lupus can advance the development of therapeutics and access to better treatments, as well as improve health outcomes for patients. However,…
Liana Fraenkel, MD, MPH, likes to fix things, and the dynamic and challenging field of rheumatology always has room for improvement. That mindset has led her down some interesting paths as a researcher and healthcare provider, and as vice president of the Rheumatology Research Foundation. Dr. Fraenkel was a rheumatologist and researcher at the Yale…
Through the development of position statements that lay out the ACR’s official stance on issues related to the management of rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions, the Committee on Rheumatologic Care helps outline policies that affect the practice of rheumatology and the wellbeing and care of patients.
Now in the second year of his 2021–2023 term as the Rheumatology Research Foundation president, V. Michael Holers, MD, a professor of medicine and immunology and the Smyth Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Colorado, Denver, is looking forward to fortifying and expanding the Foundation’s missions in the framework of its new strategic plan.
Admittedly, there’s not much to see on a country road 100 miles southwest of Iowa City, Iowa. It’s especially true in winter, when a blanket of white snow obscures any and all features of the seemingly endless fields of corn and soy. In the radiance of fresh snow on a bright winter day, even the…