Rheumatology Practice Management
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Rheumatology Practice Management December 2019 Vol 7 No 2

Rosemont, IL—Decisions made on Capitol Hill roll down to affect all Americans, including patients and healthcare providers. At the Coalition of State Rheumatology Organizations (CSRO) 2019 State Society Advocacy Conference, Emily L. Graham, RHIA, CCS-P, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Hart Health Strategies, Washington, DC, explored the federal issues most relevant to rheumatologists and their patients. Read More ›

Grand Rapids, MI—There is a current shortage of full-time rheumatology providers in the United States, and it is only getting worse. In the next decade, adult patient demand for arthritis care is expected to increase 25% to 50% because of the aging population, and ultimately, the supply will be one-half of what is considered optimal. Read More ›

Grand Rapids, MI—Just because an organization is used to doing things a certain way, it does not mean it is the best way, according to Frank D. Cohen, Director, Analytics and Business Intelligence, Doctors Management, Knoxville, TN, a healthcare consulting firm. Read More ›

Atlanta, GA—Results of a recent study presented at the 2019 American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting suggest that patients with young-onset and elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) derive similar benefits from biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). Regardless of age at disease onset, both groups of patients had similar clinical improvements with bDMARD therapy at 48 weeks, as well as similar maintenance and discontinuation rates as a result of adverse events. Read More ›

Atlanta, GA—Although immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors is an important advancement in the treatment of several types of cancer, clinicians have questioned whether patients with preexisting autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), can be safely treated with these agents. Results from a small, retrospective study, presented at the 2019 American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting, suggest that they can. Read More ›

Atlanta, GA—New recommendations for the management of patients with gout were presented in draft form at the 2019 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Meeting. The ACR Practice Guidelines Committee determined that it was necessary to update the 2012 version of the guidelines, based on new evidence from clinical trials. The new guidelines are currently under peer review and the committee is hoping to have them published sometime in 2020. Read More ›

Rosemont, IL—A well-functioning healthcare system should provide equal access to quality care regardless of patients’ ability to pay, while simultaneously protecting them from the financial burden of their illness. Value-based insurance design (VBID) strategies have the potential to accomplish this goal. Read More ›

Atlanta, GA—Results of a clinical trial presented at the 2019 American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting revealed a dramatic increase in opioid-use disorder (OUD) hospitalizations over the past 20 years in patients with rheumatic diseases, including gout, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, low back pain, and rheumatoid arthritis. Read More ›

Grand Rapids, MI—As healthcare becomes more personalized and patients take a more proactive role in their care, the importance of customer service has become paramount, explained Lynne Lancaster, Generational Expert and Co-Founder of Bridgeworks, Wayzata, MN, at the 14th annual National Organization of Rheumatology Managers Conference. Read More ›