Narcisse asks about rheumatology access; Long says it has improved
Narcisse asks about rheumatology access, recalling it was a problem at a prior hearing. Long says rheumatology is much better today after filling vacancies, and notes specialty access fluctuates as providers leave.
I know from last time, I don't remember when was the last hearing.
I cannot recall which hearing.
Rheumatology is one of the hardest ones to get.
How are we doing with rheumatology?
Oh, you have a great memory.
It was the show hearing.
Yes, you're exactly right.
I gave the example then because at that point we had lost several neurologists at the same time.
So I believe we've actually rehired off to double check, but I think we filled all the vacancies.
If not, we've made significant progress.
So rheumatology.
So rheumatology is not the same issue today that it was when we last talked.
It's better.
It's much better today.
But it's a perfect example to your point of specialty access changes when people leave our system and we have to then focus on hiring and using these other strategies or levers to pull that I just talked about.
Okay.
As a matter of fact, they're both important, neurology and rheumatology, and we're not getting that many after they retire and we have issues.