Commentary and Observations from
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Welcome to PCE's The Exchange—Stay Current on Issues That Matter Most to You and Your NP/PA Colleagues
PCE is excited to announce the launch of The Exchange, a collection of short commentaries from your NP/PA colleagues on a broad range of topics relevant to your practice. The Exchange will bring you reflections on trends in medicine, observations about new treatments and guidelines, and advice related to career decisions and practicing in today's changing healthcare environment.
Biologics in Psoriasis
Posted By: 
Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS
January 22, 2021
The current understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriasis has led to the development of many immune-mediating biologic medications that specifically target overactive inflammatory cytokines. Biologics are different from traditional systemic drugs that impact the entire immune system in that they block the actions of specific types of immune cells and proteins that play a major role psoriatic disease.
There are several biologics approved by the US Food and Drug Administration that a... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
Understanding the Pathophysiology of Psoriasis
Posted By: Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS
January 19, 2021
Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, recurrent, immune-mediated disease that affects more than 8 million people in the United States. It can occur at any ag... Continue Reading
Filed under: Dermatology
CDC Releases an Update to Sexually Transmitted Infection Treatment
Posted By: 
Lawrence Herman, DMSc, MPA, PA-C
January 15, 2021
We have all been so focused on COVID-19 that many of us missed the updated guidelines on the treatment of two sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Nei... Continue Reading
Filed under: Infectious Diseases, Public Health, Women's Health
New E/M Coding Definitions for 2021
Posted By: Lawrence Herman, DMSc, MPA, PA-C
January 12, 2021
The American Medical Association's Current Procedural Terminology 2021 codebook updates the existing guidelines developed in 1995 and 1997. For new patients,... Continue Reading
Filed under: Health Policy and Trends, Practice Management/Career
Another COVID-19 Vaccine Approved!
Posted By: 
Debra A. Danforth, DNP, APRN
January 08, 2021
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved by the FDA on December 11, 2020 for any person aged 16 years and older. This vaccine requires everyone to receive tw... Continue Reading
Filed under: Infectious Diseases, Public Health
Health Assessment During COVID-19: The New Normal
Posted By: Debra A. Danforth, DNP, APRN
January 05, 2021
This year has changed how we teach health assessment or provide objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) to our students. Now, everyone has gone to... Continue Reading
Filed under: NPs & PAs, Practice Management/Career
Can Leading a Healthy Lifestyle Change the Likelihood of Developing Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?
Posted By: 
Richard S. Pope, PA-C, MPAS
December 31, 2020
An abstract presented at this year's American College of Rheumatology (ACR) conference asked whether the likelihood of being diagnosed with systemic lupus er... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine, Rheumatology
Gastric Bypass or Joint Replacement: Which Is the Better Option for Osteoarthritis of the Knee?
Posted By: Richard S. Pope, PA-C, MPAS
December 28, 2020
In November 2020, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) hosted a virtual poster presentation. Abstract 1651, "Knee OA outcomes in patients with severe o... Continue Reading
Filed under: Orthopedics, Rheumatology
Out of the Woods? Considerations and Follow-up for When COVID Goes Away
Posted By: 
Daniel Thibodeau, MHP, PA-C
December 18, 2020
As we approach the 1-year mark of COVID becoming globally prominent, we are, unfortunately, also getting into the next surge of cases. At some point, this de... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Infectious Diseases, Public Health
Sports Physicals in a Post-COVID World
Posted By: Daniel Thibodeau, MHP, PA-C
December 16, 2020
Athletes want to compete and give their best to their sport at every age. COVID has changed this in ways that no one was prepared to imagine. Now that we may... Continue Reading