Healio reports new studies highlighting the need for adequate training materials and clear guidelines when caring for patients of color from leading rheumatology professional organizations, and includes commentary from Susan M. Goodman, MD, rheumatologist at HSS, and chair of American College of Rheumatology’s (ACR) Practice Guideline Subcommittee.

Dr. Goodman said the ACR plans to discuss how to improve its handling of race in clinical practice guidelines and affirmed, “We should aspire to more specificity in our descriptions of race and can describe limitations in the reviewed literature regarding race and ethnicity.”

She continued, “Using accurate definitions of race, and standardized categories of race and ethnicity, is an achievable goal. In addition, noting limitations in the available literature regarding race and ethnicity is important and may be useful to encourage guideline authors to be more precise. Incorporating country of origin can also be useful.”

“We agree that rigor should be applied to any race-based recommendations — this is frankly better medicine. Our goals as guideline authors should include precision regarding race and ethnicity and attention to evidence of structural racism when present,” she added.

Read the full article at Healio.com.