In nursing school, we are taught to use care plans to help manage our patients’ health problems. First, we assess the patient; next, we develop a plan of care; and finally, we implement the plan of care. At the end of this process, the patient response hopefully...
Sometimes, we encounter a patient in our practice who touches our life and our soul, and never leaves our heart. One such patient of mine was Michael. Michael fit the profile of our usual stoic patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). He was a hard-working carpenter...
Biomarkers have been an important addition to the toolbox of rheumatology healthcare providers, which was illustrated in my interactions with G.H., a recent patient of mine with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). When I met with G.H. for the first time, she told me that her...
Twelve years ago, I met R.T., a 35-year-old female patient who had previously been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Her rheumatoid factor was positive at 49. Her sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were also elevated. Her joints were visibly swollen and...
In rheumatology, we are challenged with the formidable task of simultaneously improving quality, enhancing equity, and ensuring value in the care we provide for our patients. One of the ways we can do this is by being involved in research to help establish quality...