Drug Safety Risk Communication: The 800 lb Gorilla Approach
Discussions on drug safety can be as treacherous as quicksand for the patient and physician. What the physician knows and what the patient perceives may not be in sync.
Blogs
Hydrocodone: Then and Now
Today marks the one year anniversary of hydrocodone becoming a schedule II drug with more restrictive access. Has life been better under these new rules?
Top 5 and Bottom 5 Clinic Tools
Rheums do not live by wits and cytokine blockers alone. We need tools, equipment and material goods to be the diagnostician, communicator, and technical wizards that triple-threat rheumatologists propound to be. Not long ago I ranked my top and bottom 5 joints. Now we tackle the most and least important tools of the trade in rheumatology.
ICD-10: ABCs of the New Code
Use your ICD-9 codes today and tomorrow 9/30/15, and then use ICD-10 codes only on 10/1/15 and thereafter. Do not submit both ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes on any day as these will be rejected by CMS.
Marketing 101
Why let your practice mix grow according to word-of-mouth, preferred provider listings and beauty parlor gossip? Be all you can be with a marketing plan for your practice and career.
Time to Listen
Every physician struggles with time and listening. Modern medicine infringes on both of these - and they may be the most humanistic things a physician can give.
Rheumatology - the Favored Few
A routine visit, followed by a few post-visit comments from the familly, is all it takes to remind me how great it is to be a rheumatologist.
TIPS for Arthritis Travelers
Travel can be challenging for arthritis patients. Here are some useful tips to travel smoothly and pain free.
Better Zoster Vaccine Options on the Horizon
The prevention of Herpes zoster infections can be challenging in patients receiving immunosuppressives or biologic therapies. Dr. Artie Kavanugh reviews a new, potential advance in vaccination for shingles.
How do you handle questions about sex?
I had just finished going over the prognosis and treatment plan with my newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patient. I asked if she had any questions for me. She did.
An Elderly RA Patient with Hepatitis B and Latent TB
Comorbidities often influence the choice of therapies in RA. This elderly man with hepatitis and TB needs aggressive treatment, but what drugs can reasonably be considered?
Pick Up the Phone
Inefficient peer-to-peer physician communication has eroded integrated care and compromised patient outcomes and safety. Picking up the smart phone and use of technology may help to close these gaps.
