Problem-focused management, including pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, mood disorder, adherence, deconditioning, and work disability. Rheumatic diseases and associated management, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis, soft tissue diseases, connective tissue diseases, rheumatic diseases of aging, spondylarthropathies, acute inflammatory diseases, and regional diseases. Related issues, including the impact of arthritis and societal concerns, and evaluation of treatment efficacy and cost effectiveness. Authors for each section have been carefully selected for the quality of contribution they have made in the field of rheumatology. An authorship mix of rheumatologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, nurses, pharmacists, and psychologists reflects the multidisciplinary nature of rheumatic disease care.
All text is supported by findings from research that are appropriately cited.
The clinical care text has been in development for nearly two years. The ACR contended that values for evaluation and management codes were low in comparison to values for surgery. That overall increase was seventh best out of 37 specialties. While 3.4 percent may seem like a modest increase, this is a significant victory for rheumatology. Many specialties, especially surgical specialties, saw a decrease in the work value of the codes they use most often.