Having dedicated decades to autoimmune patient advocacy, I have witnessed the remarkable emergence of patient voices in rheumatology, supported by the tools of the digital world, most directly by novel communication modes such as social media that support online communities. Thus, my virtual-first, digital rheumatology clinic rheumission was built on
Digitally enabled, virtual first care (V1C) offers a potential solution to convoluted autoimmune patient journeys. V1C especially offers significant advantages for autoimmune and inflammatory disease (AIID) patients in accessing specialized care. Virtual specialist practices get patients to a rheumatologist or gastroenterologist much faster (days rather than months) and with less
Many Convoluted Stages Along AIID Patient Journeys The convoluted journey of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (AIIDs) has many stages. Each stage presents challenges that may cause patients to drop out before they get the care they need. Unlike cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, there are no population screening