ACR on Air Podcast

In this episode, we explore what happens when clinicians look beyond the prescription pad and begin listening more deeply to what their patients have lost. This isn’t a conversation about rejecting medications but about expanding the tools we use to foster healing. We discuss the concept of disenfranchised grief—the often-unspoken losses that accompany chronic illness—the intricate links between depression and inflammation, and the transformative power of helping patients heal in ways that no pill alone can achieve.

This episode was sponsored by Pfizer.

Barbara Slusher, MSW, PA-C, DFAAPA – Barbara Slusher, MSW, PA-C, DFAAPA, is a Physician Associate with Hope Health, a federally qualified health center serving rural communities in Manning, South Carolina. She earned her PA degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Barbara integrates her background in social work with her medical training to provide whole-person care, recognizing that true health encompasses mental, emotional, and physical wellness. Her clinical career spans oncology, allergy/immunology, and rheumatology, with more than 19 years dedicated to improving the lives of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. In 2024, she became board certified in Lifestyle Medicine, underscoring her commitment to incorporating evidence-based lifestyle approaches into the management of chronic rheumatic disease.

She is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (DFAAPA) and an active volunteer and past executive leader with the Association of Rheumatology Professionals. Barbara is passionate about servant leadership and remains dedicated to advancing both individual and community health.

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In this episode, we shine a light on Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease (CPPD)—a condition that has been hiding in plain sight for decades. Despite being common, painful, and prevalent in clinics everywhere, CPPD has long been misdiagnosed, undertreated, and under-researched. Our guest has been working to change that by uncovering the genetic and molecular underpinnings of the disease and exploring new ways to improve patient outcomes. We discuss what’s new and what’s next for CPPD, why it may be the most common inflammatory arthritis after age 60, how it overlaps with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, and what emerging studies of biologics are revealing about its biology and untapped therapeutic potential.

This episode was sponsored by Pfizer.

Tristan Pascart, MD, PhD – Tristan Pascart, MD, PhD, is a French clinician and researcher in rheumatology. He is head of the rheumatology department of the Lille Catholic University hospitals and Professor of rheumatology at the Lille Catholic University medical school. His research focuses on crystal-induced arthropathies, mainly calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease and gout. His expertise particularly covers advanced diagnostic tools and imaging techniques for CPPD disease, and therapeutic aspects as he led the first clinical trial performed in acute CPP crystal arthritis (COLCHICORT trial). He was involved in the steering committee for the development of the 2023 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for CPPD disease.

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In this episode, we explore RheumCode, a groundbreaking new initiative from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) designed to build a common digital language for rheumatology. RheumCode aims to ensure that data means the same thing wherever it lives—whether in an EHR, a clinic, or a registry—enabling systems to seamlessly communicate and make better use of the medical information already being documented. We discuss how RheumCode began, the collaboration behind its development, and its potential to transform the way clinicians practice; researchers study disease, and patients experience their care.

This episode was sponsored by Pfizer.

Thomas Grader-Beck, MD, PhD – Thomas Grader-Beck, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Clinical Director of the Program to Accelerate Clinical Research Using Epic (PACE). Board certified in Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, and Clinical Informatics, his work bridges clinical medicine, autoimmune disease research, and electronic health record (EHR) innovation.

Dr. Grader-Beck has designed and implemented EHR-based tools for high-quality data capture, clinical decision support, and multi-center collaboration that enhance quality of care and research across Johns Hopkins and collaborating institutions. He is the former Director and current member of the Epic Rheumatology Steering Board, where he continues to help shape rheumatology functionality incorporated into Epic’s foundation system. His work emphasizes leveraging informatics to enhance quality of care and support large-scale registry development, with a particular focus on Sjögren’s disease.

He is a member of the American College of Rheumatology’s Registry and Health IT Committee and serves as project lead for RheumCode, a national initiative to define a core dataset for systemic rheumatic diseases. In addition, he has served as principal investigator and co-investigator on multiple industry-sponsored clinical trials and NIH-sponsored research projects in Sjögren’s disease, and has published extensively on autoimmune disease, patient-reported outcomes, and informatics-driven approaches to clinical medicine.

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In this week’s episode, we dive into the ins and outs of the rheumatology musculoskeletal ultrasound certification process—what it takes to log 150 scans, meet CME requirements, and ultimately sit for the exam. We’re joined by Liudmila Kastsianok, MD, RhMSUS, FACR, who shares her insights on how ultrasound is reshaping clinical practice, from enhancing diagnostic accuracy to opening new avenues in research. We also explore how incorporating ultrasound into routine care can deepen the physician-patient relationship and improve communication. Finally, Dr. Kastsianok offers her perspective on where the field is headed and why ultrasound is becoming an essential skill for the next generation of rheumatologists.

Liudmila Kastsianok, MD, RhMSUS, FACR – Liudmila Kastsianok, MD, RhMSUS, FACR, is a physician-educator specializing in clinical operations within the field of rheumatology. Her research interests encompass a wide range of topics, including the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in rheumatology practice, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD), rheumatoid arthritis, synovial biopsy, and improving access to rheumatology care. She helped to develop MSK US curriculum and currently serves as a co-director for MSK US clinic at the University of Colorado.

Dr. Kastsianok has completed several advanced training programs to enhance her leadership and professional skills. These include the "Fundamentals of Physician Leadership" course by the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL) in 2022, the Women's Leadership training at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus from 2023 to 2024, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training at National Jewish Health.

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In this episode, we preview ACR Convergence 2025 in Chicago this October with Gregory C. Gardner, MD, MACP, Chair of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC). We explore key topics like emerging therapies, AI in rheumatology, and highlights such as the Practice Innovation Summit, Ultrasound Conferences, and Fellows In Training (FiT) Program. Dr. Gardner also discusses highlights such as CAR T-cell therapies, new non-renal lupus guidelines, a Live Journals Club focused on Big Data and why this year’s meeting is earlier on the calendar. Tune in for a sneak peek at what’s to come!

Gregory C. Gardner, MD, MACP – Gregory C. Gardner, MD, MACP, is a rheumatologist and Emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Washington, where he previously served as Clinical Director of rheumatology and fellowship program director. He held the prestigious Bruce C. Gilliland-Lucille T. Henderson Endowed Professorship in Medicine and is affiliated with UW Medicine-Harborview Medical Center and UW Medicine-University of Washington Medical Center. Dr. Gardner earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and has over 20 years of experience treating conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

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