Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/763521
COMPASSIONATE, ONGOING REL ATIONSHIPS BE T WEEN PATIENTS AND CARING PHYSICIANS, AS WELL AS PROMPT REFERR ALS AND ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY, HAVE TR ANSFORMED THE FIELD OF RHEUMATOLOGY IN THE 22 YE ARS TIMOTHY SHAVER, MD, FACP, HAS BEEN IN PR ACTICE. Transforming Outcomes with Early Intervention ARCK's Blend of Quality and Compassionate Care Improves Quality of Life for Rheumatology Patients BY SARAH GOODING THE CHANGES ARE clea r in his wa it- ing room, which once wa s f i lled w ith pat ient s i n whe elch a i r s e x h ibit i n g severe symptoms related to the progres- sion of their rheumatoid conditions. Today, it 's a different stor y. "I've seen a trend towa rd people get- ting referred much ea rlier, a nd that 's kudos in part to the primar y care physi- cia n popu lation," Dr. Shaver says. " I think they 're identif ying these patients ea rlier a nd referring them ea rlier." Dr. Shaver says this ma kes a ll the dif- ference in patients' long-term outcomes. " It 's been proven t hat , i f you have new-onset rheumatoid a r t hritis, t he inter vention of seeing a rheumatologist within the f irst six to 12 months results in a lower rate of surger y a nd a higher level of function in that patient," he says. ADVANTAGES OF REFERRALS "Ever ybody I see in my off ice as a new patient I put in one of two categories," D r. S h a v e r s a y s . " T h e y m a y h a v e somet h i n g t hat we si mply t reat t he symptoms, and we may be able to reduce the symptoms and help them feel better. ARCK's Shirley Wang, MD, with Shadi Shahouri, MD (left), and Timothy Shaver, MD, explaining benefits of infusion therapy to a patient. " There a re other conditions which, if we don't treat them, have the abilit y to progress a nd develop complications, a nd if we ca n inter vene ea rly enough, we ca n prevent those complications." Dr. Shaver says he ha s t h ree ba sic goa ls that apply rega rdless of categor y: address a nd minimize symptoms, pre- vent da mage, a nd optimize function. F r o m t h e r e , A R C K p h y s i c i a n s det er m i ne how b e s t t o c a r r y out a treatment pla n. " We will a lways communicate back to the primar y care physician," Dr. Shaver PHOTO © T&J STUDIOS 0 6C O V E R F E A T U R E