FAQs FOR PATIENTS DURING COVID-19

If you are not sick with infection (ex. cough, fever, difficulty breathing, or nausea/diarrhea), we recommend you come to your visit as scheduled. We also encourage you to stay on track with any in-office treatments (injections/infusions). Do not stop medications as precautions or skip necessary labs. Keeping your autoimmune condition well-controlled is even more important during a pandemic and stressful circumstances. Please wear a mask to your appointment.

RCC has updated the flow and uses universal precautions to keep you safer. Here are just a few changes:

• WEAR A MASK TO YOUR APPOINTMENTS.
• Check in and copayments may occur from the car. We also may permit a lower volume and safe distance in the waiting room due to the summer heat.
• We have more private rooms and bigger spaces to spread out and reduce contacts at your visit.
• Enhanced mask/gloves by doctors and staff. It is still very difficult to get PPE and hand sanitizer so WEAR your mask and carry hand sanitizer to your appointment.
• Multiple, separate entrances for clinics, labs, and infusion visits.
• Drivers and visitors need to wait in the car unless necessary for the visit. Don’t hesitate to explain if a visitor needs to accompany the patient.
• Smaller volume of patients, visitors, or staff in the office with distanced work spaces.
• The office and private rooms are disinfected frequently.

We are expecting social distancing and precautions to continue for months ahead, and RCC will continue to adjust to meet your rheumatologic needs and keep you safe at your visits.

In some cases, a telemedicine visit (done by phone or video) is appropriate. If you are feeling well, don’t need labs or in office treatments, and have kept previous appointments, telemedicine may be a good option. We are expanding telemedicine to the patients who are unable to travel. Telemedicine appointments will be offered to these patients and may be requested where appropriate.

1. In general, stopping/holding your rheumatology medications without infection issues during this pandemic is not a good idea. Rheumatology patients face vulnerability to infections of all kinds throughout the year and need to consult with their Rheumatologist when they get sick or worry about the safety of their medications. Of note, these issues are not ending soon and require ongoing conversation at the visits. Discontinuing immune therapies may result in flare of your autoimmune disease.
2. Keep in mind: all rheumatology patients and rheumatology meds are not the same! The rheumatology medications each have different risks to your health and are not the same in how they affect the immune system or the ability to fight infection.

The DMARDs (disease modifying antirheumatic drugs) such as methotrexate, leflunomide, sulfasalazine, and hydroxychloroquine do not increase your risk for more severe infection or complicated infections. You are able to fight infection as well as before you started them. In fact, by staying consistent with your treatment, controlling your disease, and lowering the hectic immune disease activity, you are actually in better health (less inflammation, lower cardiovascular disease, better mobility, reduced pain/fatigue, healthier systemic effects on other organs, etc.).

The biologics/JAKs* for your arthritis are a higher risk than the traditional DMARDs for more severe infection or complications. While biologic/JAK patients may have a harder time recovering from infections, they do not necessarily get infections more often. In higher risk patients with underlying lung conditions, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or who already struggled with infections prior to treatment, your risk could be even higher for serious complications. So why do we advise you to stay on your treatment if you are currently healthy?

The truth is that your odds of fighting infection are still in your favor. Most patients will recover and be able to fight off an infection. However, if you are sick, we recommend stopping your biologic/JAK to help your body heal faster and prevent complications. During infections, DMARDs can be safely continued.

*Biologics-Humira, Enbrel, Cimzia, Simponi, Simponi Aria, Cosentyx, Taltz, Tremfya, Skyrizi, Orencia, Actemra, Kevzara, Rituxan, Remicade, Stelara. JAKs-Xeljanz, Olumiant, Rinvoq

DMARDs and biologic/JAK therapies are the best treatment options for our rheumatologic patients. These medications are necessary to control your disease and have been carefully chosen at your visit. We will continue to evaluate the risks and benefits of your treatments during this pandemic. This is a shared decision by you and your rheumatologist to find the safest and most effective medication.

Research is ongoing but hydroxychloroquine has not been proven to prevent or protect patients with COVID-19. Additional research is needed on hydroxychloroquine and our other rheumatic treatments and whether they could be helpful in COVID-19 treatment. To be very clear, however, there is no evidence that hydroxychloroquine reduces infection, complications, or prevents COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine is not proven to change the outcomes for patients who are asymptomatic, experiencing mild disease or hospitalized with COVID-19.

It is well-established and proven that hydroxychloroquine is a life-saving and essential  treatment for Rheumatology patients. The shortage has led to a change in pharmacy dispensing but please call us if you have difficulty accessing your medication.

We are closely following the clinical trials for many of our medications being evaluated during the pandemic so we will be able to provide you with scientific answers. Also, we are keeping track of the emerging studies and registries specific to rheumatology patients.  For example, there is an international rheumatology patient registry collecting and sharing information with us through the  COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance. Our hope is that there will be new discoveries, adequate research, and better access to rheumatic treatments accelerated by this viral crisis.