The nature of U.S. rheumatology practice, 1977

A description of academic and community rheumatologist practice activities in the United States has been assembled from 826 responses to a 1977 survey of American Rheumatism Association members. Reported work hours and patient load are similar to other medical subspecialists, and three-fourths of the clinical time is devoted to persons with predominantly rheumatic disease problems. Significant differences in activities occur between academic and community practices and among rheumatologists with different training backgrounds. Few characteristics vary significantly across geographic regions containing divergent rheumatologist-population ratios. Descriptive productivity measures such as these are necessary for planning; they provide part of the empirical analysis required to give reality to manpower policies.