EULAR president: Education, advocacy critical for rheumatology’s future
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Elevating the rheumatology’s profile to policymakers, medical students and patients through advocacy and education is critical for the specialty’s future, according to EULAR President Annamaria Iagnocco, MD.
“EULAR is 75 years old but looks much younger,” Iagnocco said in her opening remarks of the EULAR 2022 Congress. “The past is what we know and serves as a platform for our present and our future. Let us continue thriving on this journey.”
Iagnocco, who is head and professor of rheumatology at the Academic Rheumatology Center in the department of clinical and biological sciences at the University of Turin, in Italy, also stated that, beyond patient care, the specialty faces significant challenges moving forward.
“There are still disparities in access to rheumatology,” Iagnocco said. “We must position rheumatology as an important, interesting field of medicine.”
To accomplish this, EULAR aims to make the specialty visible not only to policymakers, but also to the legions of people who may have signs or symptoms of rheumatic or autoimmune diseases and not know where to turn.
“Undoubtedly we must make rheumatology visible to public,” Iagnocco said.
However, she added that there is another piece of this puzzle.
“We must also make it attractive to medical students,” she said.
According to Iagnocco, the rheumatology workforce shortage is a global concern.
“Increasing the number of rheumatologists should be crucial for the future,” she said. “The more medical students who select rheumatology as their field of interest, the more specialists there will be in the future.”
She added that an increase in the number of practicing rheumatologists will, in turn, improve access to care and address disparities.
Iagnocco also highlighted a recent restructuring of the EULAR government, the aim of which is to maintain the organization at the “forefront” of rheumatology.
“We hope to stimulate research and treatment of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases,” she said.
One way to accomplish this goal is to provide tailored educational material and courses for rheumatologists and other associated practitioners, Iagnocco added. In addition, she stressed the importance of broad access to those materials to accelerate research and improve patient outcomes.
“We also have EULAR advocacy that directly engages with the European Union,” she said. The aim of the organization’s advocacy arm is to improve research funding and quality of care.
“We advocate for patients and communities of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases and promote policy with decision makers,” Iagnocco said.
Yet another arm of EULAR is charged with developing recommendations and criteria for the diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases under the rheumatology umbrella. “Through all of these efforts we improve and implement standards of care for patients,” Iagnocco said.
In closing, Iagnocco stressed that the new structure of EULAR is “based on inclusivity,” where members can share ideas and interact.
“Welcome to the EULAR family to you all,” she said. “Because all together is better.”
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Iagnocco A. Opening by the President of EULAR. Presented at: EULAR 2022 Congress; June 1-4, 2022 (virtual meeting).
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