Tradition of Excellence
Caring and treating patients with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases is part of the rich history of Brigham and Women's Hospital. The Robert Breck Brigham Hospital, one of our founding hospitals, became the first teaching hospital in the country entirely devoted to arthritis and related diseases.
In 1980, the Robert Breck Brigham Hospital, the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and the Boston Hospital for Women — all Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals — merged to form Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Today, The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases continues to be a world-class leader in research surrounding such areas as soft-tissue disorders, tendonitis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, immunologic disorders and lupus.
The physicians and health care providers of The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases are devoted to treating rheumatic and immunologic conditions and diseases and committed to providing our patients with high quality care.
Convenience and Choice
Our patients can receive our services at several locations. In addition to The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital, our physicians are available at Brigham and Women's Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center at 850 Boylston Street in Chestnut Hill and our office at HealthSouth in Braintree.
Additionally, any of our patients who might require orthopedic surgery have more options and choice as to where their surgery can be performed. Brigham and Women's Hospital is now affiliated with Faulkner Hospital and many of our orthopedic surgeons and rheumatologists are on staff at both institutions.
Our Philosphy
At The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases, our goal is to provide patients with state-of-the-art care that will allow them to maintain their quality of life.
Our team of physicians — who are all faculty members of Harvard Medical School — and health care professionals combine their vast knowledge and experience to work together as a team to provide the best care.
We provide comprehensive care for all of our patients. The continuum of care includes diagnosis, treatment and multidisciplinary management services for patients with arthritis and other diseases of the joints as well as those with immunologic disorders, such as lupus.
When coordinating care for the patient, we consult orthopedists, radiologists, physical therapists, neurologists, podiatrists, dermatologists, pain management specialists, obstetricians/gynecologists, and other professionals.
Working as an integrated health care delivery team, we also stay in close contact with the patient's primary care physician and continually communicate the patient's diagnosis and treatment plan.
Developing relationships with our patients, who often have long-term or chronic illnesses, is an important aspect of care at The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases. Our nurturing environment is a key element for patients who need to maintain their course of treatment.
The Latest Research
World-class physicians and researchers are also involved in the latest clinical studies, developing new treatments for the rheumatic and immunologic conditions that bring patients to The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases.
Our therapeutics group has earned an international reputation for evaluation of new treatments for rheumatic disease. The group has a major interest in therapies for rheumatoid arthritis and has extensively evaluated many of the major therapies used in the disease. The therapeutics group is continually active in clinical trial programs and studies.
Having the most current information available enables us to provide our patients a unique scope and breadth of treatment options — rarely found elsewhere.
Treating a Variety of Conditions
While there are over 100 different diseases that cause arthritis, we particularly specialize in the evaluation and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis, psoriatic arthritis, Lyme disease and all disorders of the spine.
In particular, we have played pivotal roles in the development of new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis - the most common of systemic arthritis that causes inflammation in the lining of the joints and other internal organs. In addition, we have renowned specialists who evaluate and treat patients with lupus and its allied disorders.
Our team is also composed of professionals with varied backgrounds who have interests in the full spectrum of rheumatic and immunologic diseases and conditions, including:
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Rheumatoid arthritis - a common form of arthritis that causes inflammation in the lining of the joints and other internal organs.
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Systemic lupus erythematosus - a rheumatic disease that is both inflammatory and chronic and affects joints, muscles and other parts of the body.
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Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis - a childhood condition that causes inflammation of the joints that can cause varying pain and discomfort.
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Gout - a disease causing severe and sudden episodes of pain, tenderness and swelling in some joints.
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Osteoarthritis - a disease that causes breakdown of cartilage in the joints and leads to joint pain and stiffness.
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Osteoporosis - a disease that causes bones to become brittle and lose mass resulting in painful fractures.
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Psoriatic arthritis - a common form of arthritis associated with psoriasis.
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Scleroderma - a slowly progressive disease that causes hardening of the skin and internal organs.
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Soft tissue rheumatism - tendonitis, bursitis and other allied conditions.
The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases
The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital offers complete evaluation and care for patients with systemic rheumatic diseases as well as local conditions of the bones, joints and tendons. Our center is one of the busiest practices in the country providing care for patients with arthritis and its allied conditions — seeing approximately 25,000 patients yearly.
The Center is at the "hub" of an integrated system where patients can be seen by rheumatologists, orthopedists, podiatrists, and occupational and physical therapists as needed. Our staff collaborates with other health care providers as needed to provide the most state-of-the-art care for our patients with arthritis and similar conditions.
The Spine Center, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Center and Lyme Disease Center are three other "centers" within The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases where patients can receive world-class care.
The Spine Center
The Spine Center offers comprehensive services to evaluate and manage treatment for patients with back, neck and spine problems.
Working collaboratively with physical therapists, pain specialists, surgeons, radiologists and other providers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, the physicians of The Spine Center evaluate a wide range of problems.
Patients who are coping with sprains and strains of the lower back, work-associated low back pain, sciatica, scoliosis, whiplash and other conditions can make an appointment at The Spine Center for evaluation and any necessary treatment.
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Center
The Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Center is devoted to the multidisciplinary treatment of children and adults with childhood onset arthritic disorders.
The Robert Breck Brigham Hospital, a forerunner of Brigham and Women's Hospital, has a long history of involvement in the treatment of systemic rheumatic diseases of children.
Our staff collaborates with pediatricians, physical therapists, occupational therapists and orthopedic surgeons as needed.
Patient Convenience
Coming in for an appointment should be as effortless as possible, particularly for our patients who have limited mobility.
The Arthritis Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital is located at 45 Francis Street and valet parking is available. Once inside the ambulatory services building, a quick elevator ride brings our patients to The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases.
The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases is centrally located within the hospital and provides our patients with convenient access to other services that may be part of their care. Orthopedics, physical therapy, blood work and x-rays are some of the services located only steps away on the same floor.
For added convenience, patients can see our specialists at Brigham and Women's Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center in Chestnut Hill and at Brigham and Women's Orthopedic and Arthritis Center at HealthSouth Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital.
Additional Information
If you would like more information about the physicians at The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases, or would like to make an appointment, please call (617) 732-5325.
For more information or to schedule an appointment at The Spine Center, call (617) 278-0586.
We Accept Most Insurance
The Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases accepts most forms of insurance and participates in many managed care plans. If an insurance plan requires a referral from a primary care physician, please make sure this has been obtained before coming to our center.
