Rheumatology Division for Professionals

Providing expert care for complex diseases

The Department of Medicine's Rheumatology Division is a world leader in the clinical care of patients with some of the most complex of all medical diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, and vasculitis. The Division's researchers have made important contributions to development of novel therapies that are improving patient outcomes.

The Division’s researchers have investigated the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie those diseases, and their work has led to development of novel therapies that are improving patient outcomes. Education of medical students and physicians-in-training is a high priority of the Division, as demonstrated by our development of the Rheumatology Academy of Medical Educators.

Our mission: To improve the lives of patients with autoimmune, inflammatory and musculoskeletal diseases through application of new scientific knowledge that advances healthcare, and by training the next generation of rheumatologists as clinicians, scientists and future academic leaders.

Disease-Focused Centers of Excellence

Dedicated faculty collaborate to establish clinical and academic programs that address our major disease areas. The professional and ancillary staff in our centers have designed mechanisms to improve patient access, provide patient education, define metrics of quality care, design translational and clinical research projects, and coordinate communication of our activities to the patient and academic communities.

The disease areas addressed by our Centers of Excellence include inflammatory arthritis; lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome; and scleroderma, vasculitis, and myositis. Learn more about the Centers of Excellence.

HSS Rheumatologists are also leading experts in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, gout, and pediatric rheumatologic conditions. Patient care is coordinated with collaborating physicians with special expertise in orthopedics, pulmonary medicine, cardiology, infectious disease, kidney disease and others when warranted.

A Unique Collaboration Between the Bench and the Bedside

Integration of academic activities among physician scientists in the hospital’s Research Division and the clinical rheumatologists provides the ideal setting for the hospital’s pacesetting research. HSS doctors and scientists work hand-in-hand, pioneering new discoveries that will lead to new medical treatments.

In addition, collaborative care of patients with rheumatologic disorders that require surgery has generated important clinical research led by scientists, rheumatologists and orthopedic surgeons. This uniquely collaborative “bench to bedside” model has long been the philosophy of HSS, where research ideas are spurred by clinical experiences, and where findings translate into improved treatments and best practices.