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Final Program


Schedule at a Glance
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Program: Practice Innovation Summit
General Topic: Advance Programming

Optimizing Patient Access: Integrating APPs, New Physicians, and Best Practices in Rheumatology

Friday, October 24, 2025
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Central Time

    Innovation Moderator(s)

  • Christopher Phillips, MD

    Paducah Rheumatology
    Paducah, Kentucky, United States

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose

This session will focus on scalable, effective strategies to expand and streamline patient access in rheumatology practices. Potential topics include:

• Strategies for successfully integrating advanced practice providers (APPs)

• Onboarding and leveraging new physicians for improved access

• Workflow models that reduce bottlenecks and maximize care capacity

• Scheduling innovations and triage protocols to enhance access

• Data-driven approaches to identifying access gaps and opportunities

Learning Objectives:

  • Integrate APPs and New Physicians into the Practice Workflow: Learn effective strategies for onboarding APPs and new physicians, ensuring they are fully integrated into the practice’s patient care and access model
  • Implement Efficient Scheduling Systems: Gain insights into scheduling strategies that optimize patient access, minimize delays, and balance the workload between physicians and APPs
  • Optimize Staffing Models to Meet Patient Demand: Understand how to leverage a combination of physicians, APPs, and support staff to manage patient load efficiently, reduce wait times, and enhance the patient experience
  • Leverage Technology and Tools to Improve Patient Flow: Explore technological solutions, such as electronic health records (EHRs), patient portals, and automated scheduling systems, to streamline patient access and improve workflow efficiency
  • Address Common Challenges in Managing Patient Access: Discuss practical solutions to common barriers such as high patient volume, complex case management, and patient follow-up, and explore how to create a patient-centered, accessible care environment

Presentations:

  • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Central Time
    Optimizing Patient Access: Integrating APPs, New Physicians, and Best Practices in Rheumatology

    Innovation Presenter: Nancy Ellis, MBA – Piedmont Arthritis Clinic

    Innovation Presenter: Kori Dewing, DNP, ARNP – University of Washington

    Innovation Presenter: Colin Edgerton, MD, RhMSUS – Articularis Healthcare