We talk to the experts about the increasing use of telemedicine in rheumatology during the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring what needs to be considered for different rheumatic diseases and whether telerheumatology is here to stay.
Top tips on telerheumatology
We asked Chris Phillips and Aruni Jayatilleke, both authors on the American College of Rheumatology’s telemedicine position statement, to share their top tips on how to provide the best care via telemedicine.
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Aruni Jayatilleke, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Rheumatology Fellowship Program at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Chris Phillips, MD, is a member of the ACR’s Committee on Rheumatologic Care, where he serves as the Committee chair of the ACR’s Insurance Subcommittee. He is also serving on the ACR’s COVID-19 Practice and Advocacy Task Force.
Mary De Vera, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Findings from two studies suggest that telemedicine is acceptable to people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, may improve access to care for those living in resource-limited settings, and is not associated with worse disease activity outcomes.
A survey of Veterans Affairs rheumatology consortium members has given greater insight into the experiences and opinions of rheumatology providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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