70 & Up
Four men and 4 women, 5 joint replacements, 4 knee arthroscopies, 2 cancers and 6 bad attitudes were not enough to deter the inspiration and perspiration required of us last weekend. So how did we do? And yes, there are pictures.
Blogs
Pushy Patients
Do your patients challenge you? Do you live up to their expectations? How many steps do you have to climb to be better?
Patients Believe Lab Tests More Than Doctors
Patients believe that a lab result is a numeric true representation their biology and a pivotal arbiter of wellness, yet physicians often dismiss such results as hanging chads in a meaningless election. Why do patients believe their labs moreso than their doctor?
What's it like to have RA - from those who do and don't
A patient recently asked me, “What do you think it’s like to have RA” and “How would you describe it to someone you just met?” Could I walk a mile in her shoes? Here's my version and theirs.
Leading With Questions
I find it interesting that when the Q&A part of the lecture begins, everyone acts as if they just got on the elevator. Who is willing to go out on a limb and ask the first question? Is Q&A the best or worst part of lectures that you attend? What can you do change the impact of your next Q&A experience?
TIPS for Arthritis Travelers (Best of 2015: #3)
Travel can be challenging for arthritis patients. Here are some useful tips to travel smoothly and pain free.
Wine and the Rheumatologist (Best of 2015: #7)
Wine and the rheumatologist in theory could be about a lot of things. Naturally, as rheumatologists, we are interested in how wine may affect rheumatic diseases. I am more inclined to write about how our community interacts around and enjoys wine.
Writing Effective Appeal Letters
Getting the right drug to the right patient isn’t quite as easy as it should be. Here's a collection of appeal trench war musings and tactics with a sample letter for all to use.
What Happened to Science in Medicine?
Have crony capitalism and medical administrators overtaken science, logic and common sense in healthcare? Dr. John Goldman reviews some recent developments with some misgivings.
The Born Again Rheumatoid
While there are currently 9 biologic agents approved and marketed for the treatment of RA, and although each has a valued place in our arsenal, I would propose none has been as influential or dramatic as TNF inhibitors. The “born again” rheumatoid feeling is not well captured by any of the usual metrics or measures. It’s not found in the HAQ, DAS28, SF36 (either mental or physical), fatigue score, or any lab parameter. I believe it’s best described by my patient RH who wrote me a letter soon after starting etanercept.
Tried-and-True or Something New?
While decades of drug development have improved treatment options, some of our older drugs are harder to improve upon. The same can be said for old movies and new movies, or classic literature and current best sellers. Which do you prefer or rely on?
Building a Better Rheumatologist
Are you efficient, productive and accurate in what you do? Could you be better? Or do the job differently?
