
Telemedicine Offers Rheumatology/ Arthritis Services
Rheumatology – arthritis services are being offered over telemedicine by request through the TeleCare Network. Dr. James Lampman and Dr. Nowarat Songsiridej, rheumatologists from St. Alexius Specialty Clinics, have been using telemedicine to see patients with different types of arthritis and complications related to the disease. “I’ve been very satisfied with telemedicine,” says Dr. Songsiridej, “The picture quality is so much better than I expected which enables me to still have the doctor-patient relationship.”
Although the term literally means joint inflammation, arthritis really refers to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints. If left undiagnosed and untreated, arthritis can cause irreversible damage to the joints.
The Arthritis Foundation reports that the two most common forms of the disease are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. According to the Center for Disease Control, rheumatoid arthritis affects more than 2 million people in the United States. Both diseases cause pain, swelling and decreased function in the joints. Osteoarthritis, previously known as “degenerative joint disease”, results from the wear and tear of life, and rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the cell lining inside the joint.
For arthritic patients, traveling a long distance means increased pain and stiffness. Telemedicine eliminates this hardship and keeps the patient close to their primary care provider. A primary care provider can request a rheumatology consultation and be present during the visit allowing direct involvement in the patient’s treatment and follow up care. “This is a great service,” says Dr. Lampman, “especially for a nursing home resident who would have great difficulty traveling to Bismarck for an appointment.”
If you have any questions regarding an arthritis consultation over telemedicine please call the St. Alexius Telehealth Department at 1-800-393-7130.
Information provided by Carol Lewis for FDA Consumer Magazine)
