Referring provider
Ask the Assistant
Pick a topic, answer a few questions, and get a clear recommendation with its sources. Every question has a “None of these / not sure” option, and Back always goes one step back.
1Referral decisions
2Symptom-based approaches
Joint pain
Swollen or not, one joint or many.
One hot or swollen joint
Infection first, then crystals and the rest.
Several swollen joints
Acute or chronic, and the patterns that sort them out.
Back pain
Inflammatory, mechanical or red flags.
Widespread pain and fatigue
A focused workup and when it isn't fibromyalgia.
Raynaud's phenomenon
Primary or secondary, and when it is urgent.
Rashes and skin findings
Lupus, dermatomyositis, purpura, livedo and more.
Dry eyes and dry mouth
Medicines, Sjögren's disease and other causes.
Raised ESR or CRP
What to look for, and what not to chase.
Positive ANA
Titers, patterns and when it matters.
3Emergencies and management
4Lab and imaging
5Medications
DMARD monitoring
Schedules, abnormal results, side effects and interactions.
DMARDs in pregnancy and breastfeeding
What to continue, what to stop, and when.
Glucocorticoids
Starting, tapering, bone protection and stress dosing.
Biologics and targeted therapies
Monitoring, biosimilars, switching and safety.
Screening before biologics
TB, hepatitis B and C, and vaccines.
Surgery and procedures
What to hold and when to restart.