Rheumatologists play a unique and vital role in guiding their patients toward the most effective rheumatology care.
To that end, the ACR has joined the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, Consumer Reports, and 25 other leading medical societies as part of the ABIM Foundation’s Choosing Wisely campaign by creating a list of five things rheumatologists could do to reduce health care costs while also improving the quality of care. The list includes things that 1) are commonly ordered/provided by rheumatologists; 2) are among the most expensive services provided (either individually or cumulatively); and 3) have been shown by currently available evidence not to provide any meaningful benefit to at least some major categories of patients for whom the tests/treatments are ordered/provided.
The ACR’s list was developed by the Top 5 Working Group with significant ACR member input and final ACR Board of Directors approval. Top 5 Working Group members included Jinoos Yazdany, MD, MPH; Charles King, MD; Gabriela Schmajuk, MD, MSc; David Daikh, MD, PhD; Edward Yelin, PhD; Mark Robbins, MD, MPH; Ashley Beall, MD; and Kenneth Saag, MD.
Through this and other work, the ACR ensures that rheumatologists’ voices are heard when high-quality, high-value care is being defined for people with rheumatic disease.
