By Andrew L. Concoff, MD, FACR, CAQSM
The COVID-19 Pandemic has introduced chaos and uncertainty into the practice of Rheumatology. UR has joined all major national and international Rheumatology organizations in recommending the continuation of infusions of targeted immunomodulators during the pandemic. By controlling autoimmune disease and limiting the risk of flare, Rheumatologists seek to limit the need for additional medications, notably including corticosteroids, and doctor visits. However, patients often have concerns about the risks of office-administered therapies during the pandemic. These concerns, and the increased turbulence of life in these circumstances, may reduce attendance at scheduled infusion visits.
For these reasons, it is critical to facilitate communication between the practice and each patient scheduled for infusion. Through open communication, patient hesitancy can be identified and addressed, allowing adjustment of purchasing and delivery to account for this increased fluidity in infusion treatment scheduling whenever necessary. To this end, United Rheumatology has created the following workflow for those practices that continue to operate essential infusion services during these challenging times.
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay United.