PEDS 86008 Pediatric Rheumatology
The Trainees have a four-week rotation in pediatric rheumatology Clinic and Inpatient Rheumatology Patients. Each Trainees has a faculty attending (PC, MK). Documentation in an electronic medical record (ERM) method suitable for Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) billing purposes is used for all rheumatology patients is being utilized in this clinic. The trainees will be exposed to complicated and expensive patient management issues and must make decisions about admission of acutely ill pediatric rheumatology patients to the hospital (PC, MK, SP). When necessary, these pediatric rheumatology patients are admitted to the Rheumatology Service and inpatient management is coordinated and supervised by the Pediatric Rheumatology Attending Physician who works with and teaches the Trainee. (PC, PL, IC, PF). Multiple health care providers must be called upon to assist in the management of lupus patients; this includes nursing, radiology, dermatology, nephrology, neurology, social work, orthopedics and physical therapy (PC, IC, PF, SP). Some patients speak English poorly and an interpreter is required (IC, SP, PF). Many patients need financial assistance in obtaining appropriate medications, emotional support in dealing with their illness, help with letters for absence from work and assistance in filing for disability benefits (PF, IC, SP). Some patients are nonadherent to their medical regimens for social or financial reasons and alternative approaches to their management may be needed (IC, PF, SB). Clinic visits address comorbid illnesses, such as diabetes, poor growth, hypertension, and side effects of therapy (PC, MK, PL). Trainees must frequently research the literature about diagnostic and therapeutic problems related to these complicated patients both for patient care and for clinical conferences (PC, MK, PL).