The Washington Rheumatology Alliance is focused on creative ways to increase the rheumatology workforce to meet the demand for care, such as instituting clinical rotations in rheumatology for nurse practitioner programs and advocating for pediatric rheumatologist loan forgiveness.
A new law in Texas establishes a continuous prior authorization exemption for physicians who earn a 90% approval rate on prior authorization requests for a given service over a period of six months.
The 2021–23 Washington budget enables consideration of pediatric rheumatologists for state loan forgiveness programs during the 2019–21 and 2021–23 cycles, making it the first state to include any rheumatologists in its loan forgiveness programs.
At the recent Florida Society of Rheumatology meeting, ACR executive vice president Steven Echard, IOM, CAE, emphasized the role of collaborations with state organizations in the ACR’s plans to modernize and expand its activities and offerings.
Now in its 16th year, the Wisconsin Rheumatology Association engages and supports rheumatology professionals through advocacy sessions, annual meetings and continuing medical education-accredited events.
Getting involved with your state society offers many benefits, from personal pride and group engagement, to “promoting good ideas, as well as stopping bad ideas from becoming laws that can harm your patients,” says Robert Levin, MD, immediate past president of the Florida Society of Rheumatology (FSR). That’s why he has been involved in leadership…
Amar Majjhoo, MD, had just completed his rheumatology fellowship in 2005 when he attended his first meeting of the Michigan Rheumatism Society. “I thought it was exciting that we had a state society, because to me, everything was new,” says the Michigan-based, private practice rheumatologist. “Having a meeting where established doctors were sitting around was…