Rheumatology is a relatively new discipline that falls under the auspice of Internal Medicine.
Rheumatologists are specialised to treat patients with arthritis; Systemic auto immune diseases like Lupus; inflammatory diseases of blood vessels (vasculitis); certain diseases of bone (Paget’s disease of bone, osteoporosis) as well as soft tissue rheumatism.
Today we enjoy the golden age of Rheumatology with exiting new technologies and treatments that empowers Rheumatologists to deliver a modern level of service excellence that was unheard of a few decades ago.
Types of diseases or conditions treated by a rheumatologist:
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Infectious arthritis.
- Osteoporosis; Paget’s disease (Metabolic Bone Disease).
- Fibromyalgia / Myofascial Pain.
- Spondiloarthropathies (Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Reactive arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis, Arthritis associated with inflammatory bowel disease, Ankylosing spondylitis).
- Connective Tissue Disease (Lupus, Scleroderma, Sjogren’s syndrome, Dermatomyositis, Polymyositis, Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), Unspecified connective tissue disease (UCTD), Polymyalgia rheumatica, Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome).
- Systemic Vasculitis.
- Uncommon Rheumatic Diseases (Amyloidosis, Hemochromatosis, Relapsing polychondritis).
- Regional Musculoskeletal Disorders (Degenerative disk disease, Radiculopathy, Spinal stenosis, Bursitis/tendinitis, Tenosynovitis, Hypermobility syndrome, Regional pain syndromes, Repetitive use syndromes)
Remember to bring your referral letter from you general practitioner, specialists or other health care worker.
Please bring copies of all available and relevant results from special investigations like blood tests, x-rays, CT and MRI scans to facilitate cost effective care.
Consultations:
First consultation fee or part thereof is payable at the first visit. Please ask the receptionist about the different options available. This fee is paid by credit card, debit card or cash at your first visit. Each patient’s is medical aid is treated individually.
Procedures done including ultrasound examination of joints or soft tissue, injection of joints or soft tissue, medicine used as injections as well as sterile materials or sterile trays are not included in the consultation fee and will be charged additionally. The account for these services and materials will be submitted to your medical aid on your behalf.
Accounts for follow up visits will also be submitted to your to your medical aid, if possible.
The entire account for all consultations, special investigations, procedures and materials used in your consultation will remain your financial responsibility. Should your medical aid not pay any fee timeously in full, it will be your responsibility to settle the account.
Regarding referrals for blood tests, x-ray CT scans, MRI scan, other services or health care professionals: We request tests and opinions on medical indication. These tests are billed by the service providers e.g. pathologists or radiologists. Some of these tests may be costly; it is your responsibility to ensure the affordability of these tests
