Head Of Department: Prof. Wajahat Aziz

Details of Department:

The Department of Rheumatology at PIMS was established in the 1990’s by Prof. Abid Z. Farooqi. It was the first of its kind in Pakistan and continues to provide specialist services to patients suffering from all kinds of Rheumatic disorders. Rheumatic disorders are problems arising in the joints, muscles and connective tissue (the tissue that supports and binds many other parts of the body). These disorders can range from simple problems to more complex ones which can sometimes cause long term disability or death. These complex disorders include diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Vasculitis and other connective tissue disorders which can involve almost any part of the body including vital organs like the kidney, blood, nervous system, lungs and the heart. Early and prompt treatment is essential to avoid patient suffering and long term disability. The working of the department revolves around this very concept along with proper record-keeping and ensuring minimum inconvenience to patients who are generally in pain and need immediate and long-term follow up.

Out-patient services are patient friendly and organized on a two-tier level. The ‘Filter Clinic’ is the first contact point for all patients. Patients are seen in turn by one of the Medical Officers or a postgraduate trainee who does an initial assessment and recommends treatment. If further appoints are needed, investigations are advised (if needed) and arranges an appointment for the patient to be seen by either the consultant or the more experienced postgraduate doctor at a later date. However, if an urgent consultation is considered necessary during the very first visit, the patient is discussed with the specialist and appropriate action taken. Otherwise the patient is advised to attend the clinic on the date and time allocated to ensure complete attention by an experienced doctor and thus get the best possible medical help. We respect the privacy of each patient and hence only one patient is allowed to be present in the doctor’s room at one time. In case the patient misses his / her appointment and turns up at another time, he / she is seen in the Filter Clinic once again and another appointment arranged with the consultant at a later date. The procedure is carried out to ensure that patients ensure proper attention to themselves and their disease which is so important in improving the future outcome of the disease. If at any time, the doctor in the Filter Clinic feels the need for a more expert opinion, it is made available by informing the Consultant / the Postgraduate doctor who then arranges to see the patient the same day. Each given appointment is not only noted in the ‘Appointments Diary’ but also stamped in the patient’s case notes for referral if needed.

Vision and Mission statements

• To provide high quality and state of the art treatment to the patients.
• To implement steps to prevent the surge of rheumatic disorders in the community.
• To impart and spread updated skills and knowledge among the health professionals including postgraduate trainees.
• To inculcate the sense of research and to build this unit into a hub of information
• To be a premier research-intensive department that will educate postgraduate fellows in accordance with international professional standards.