Pericardial Diseases in Rheumatology & Beyond

Private rheumatology practice is contracting under multi-directional pressure: shrinking margins, escalating prior authorizations, tightening Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM) and payer restrictions on drug access, and instability across core revenue streams. At the same time, demand is rising, wait times are surging, and workforce shortages are intensifying—driving clinician burnout and retention challenges.   This episode is about The American College of Rheumatology's response, in expanding its leadership role in advocacy, health policy reform, and workforce development to help private practices move from survival to sustainable growth. 

Pericardial Disease is couched between two medical disciplines: Cardiology and Rheumatology, and those with these conditions visit medical professionals viewing their treatment through one lens or the other. This episode addresses the shifting reality that pericarditis and myocarditis are no longer separate silos but rather takes the broader view of inflammatory heart disease. We'll examine how rheumatologists should be thinking about pericardial disease, when we should get involved, how diagnosis and imaging fit in, plus the evolution of treatment. 

For years, myositis treatment has relied on broad immune suppression with drugs like steroids, methotrexate, and rituximab—but what if we could target the disease more precisely? Inflammatory myopathies are not a single condition, but a group of biologically distinct syndromes with different clinical features and immune pathways. As our understanding evolves, so does the potential for more personalized, targeted therapies. In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Julie J. Paik to discuss how this shift could reshape the future of myositis treatment. 

In this episode, we discuss the growing workforce challenges in rheumatology with nurse practitioner Chris Estes. Chris shares how he entered the field, the training he received early in his career, and how he developed expertise in musculoskeletal ultrasound. The conversation explores how advanced practice providers (APPs) can help address rheumatology workforce shortages by expanding access to care—seeing new patients, managing follow-ups, and working both collaboratively and independently within a practice. Chris also discusses training pathways for new APPs, common misconceptions practices may have, and how investing in APP development may be an important strategy for the future of rheumatology care. 

In this episode, we explore the paradox of gout—one of the most biologically understood and treatable diseases in medicine, yet still among the most poorly controlled chronic conditions in practice. With effective therapies readily available, why do patients continue to cycle through painful flares, start and stop medications, and return to clinics and hospitals in a pattern that feels like a recurring failure? We unpack the complex interplay between biology, patient behavior, medication adherence, and health system barriers, asking whether the problem lies in the disease itself or in how care is delivered. As new treatments emerge, we also question whether innovation alone can solve the problem—or whether lasting change requires fixing the systems struggling to fully use the tools already at hand. 

In this episode, we explore Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) with Dr. Yu (Ray) Zuo, beginning with a clear, clinically grounded explanation before diving into the personal and scientific journey that drew him to this notoriously complex disease. Along the way, Dr. Zuo shares a case that forever changed how he understands APS, then takes us inside his latest Arthritis & Rheumatology study, where machine learning reveals hidden patterns that may reshape how we think about patients and risk. The conversation moves from bedside to bench and back again, tackling what AI can—and can't—do for rheumatology, where APS research is headed next, and what early investigators need to know to build impactful careers. 

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. William Harvey, the newly appointed President of the American College of Rheumatology and a dedicated volunteer of nearly 20 years. Dr. Harvey shares what it's like stepping into the presidency, the key priorities shaping the year ahead, and how the ACR is approaching strategy, advocacy, partnerships, and leadership during this pivotal moment for the field. 

In this episode, our expert guest challenges a common assumption by explaining why the T-score—despite being central to osteoporosis diagnosis—is surprisingly easy to misinterpret. He walks us through how to read a DEXA scan like a detective, highlighting subtle clues that can dramatically improve diagnostic accuracy for your patients. Once osteoporosis is identified, the conversation turns to clinical decision-making: how to choose between anabolic agents, denosumab, and bisphosphonates, and why that choice depends on thoughtful risk stratification and patient-specific comorbidities. We also dive into the often-overlooked importance of sequencing osteoporosis medications correctly, including a compelling discussion on why starting with an anabolic agent may offer greater long-term benefits than reserving it as a last-line option. 

In this episode, we explore malignant atrophic papulosis—also known as Degos disease—an extraordinarily rare microvascular disorder so uncommon that most clinicians will never see a single case. For decades, medical literature labeled it "uniformly fatal." Our guest, Dr. Lee Shapiro, encountered this reality when he began treating a rapidly deteriorating 16-year-old boy with no clear treatment path. Driven by urgency, he reached out to experts across the country, slowly piecing together clues that ultimately led to the first successful treatment of systemic Degos disease. Today, Dr. Shapiro is a leading advocate for patients, connecting a global community, promoting early recognition, and working tirelessly to expand access to life-saving therapies.    Learn more at The Degos Disease Foundation 

Once the prescription is written, pharmacists like Katherine McCarthy step in—often becoming the steady guide patients rely on throughout their health journey. Specializing in the care of people with rheumatic diseases, Katherine tackles insurance barriers, supports patients through biosimilar transitions, and helps demystify complex medication regimens. Her work underscores just how pivotal pharmacists are in driving better outcomes in rheumatology.