Our physicians recently partnered with St. Alphonsus Primary Care providers to share Pearls of Rheumatology, a focused session designed to support PCPs in caring for patients with rheumatologic conditions.
Key topics included
• Interpretation and management of rheumatology lab tests such as ANA, anti-CCP, uric acid, and HLA-B27
• When primary care should begin treatment and when referral to rheumatology is appropriate
• Risks of DMARDs including infection considerations, vaccination, and monitoring
• The role of musculoskeletal ultrasound in diagnostics and procedures, a strength of Idaho Arthritis Center
• Practical management tips for gout, polymyalgia rheumatica, and distinguishing inflammatory from non-inflammatory conditions
We also will address common barriers to rheumatology access and emphasized an important point. Patients with inflammatory disease should not have to wait months to be seen. At Idaho Arthritis Center, new patients with suspected rheumatoid arthritis can typically be seen within one to two weeks.