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On average, patients who use Zocdoc can search for a Rheumatologist in Boston, book an appointment, and see the Rheumatologist within 24 hours. Same-day appointments are often available, you can search for real-time availability of Rheumatologists in Boston who accept your insurance and make an appointment online.
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for a Boston Rheumatologist who takes your insurance. Just choose your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. If you’re not sure which plan you have, you can use Zocdoc’s insurance checker to find out.
Zocdoc is a free online service that helps patients find Rheumatologists in Boston and book appointments instantly. You can search for Boston Rheumatologists by symptom or visit reason. Then, choose your insurance plan. Based on that information, you’ll see a list of providers who meet your search criteria, along with their available appointment slots.
When you search for Boston Rheumatologists on Zocdoc, you can filter your results by gender, in addition to other criteria. That way, you’ll only see Rheumatologists in Boston who match your preferences.
On Zocdoc, you can search specifically for Boston Rheumatologists with availability after 5 p.m.
You can use Zocdoc to find Rheumatologists in Boston who are highly rated by other patients. These ratings are based on verified reviews submitted by real patients. Every time a patient completes an appointment booked on Zocdoc, they’re invited to review their experience. Each review must comply with Zocdoc’s guidelines.
Rheumatologists in Boston on Zocdoc who see patients through online video visits will have a purple video icon on their profiles. You can also filter your search results to show only Rheumatologists who offer video visits.
Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same cost as in-person visits. You can search on Zocdoc specifically for Rheumatologists in Boston who accept your insurance for video visits by selecting your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. We recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits.
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for a Rheumatologist who has appointments available before 10:00 am, or after 5:00 pm. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page.
Zocdoc let's you see real-time availability for Rheumatologists in Boston. Many Rheumatologists offer appointments on Saturdays and Sundays.
A rheumatologist is a healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats conditions that affect the body's joints, bones, muscles, and soft tissues. Rheumatologists are highly trained physicians who specialize in managing rheumatic diseases, including arthritis, osteoporosis, lupus, gout, and other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.
Rheumatologists use various diagnostic tests, including blood tests, imaging studies, and joint aspiration, to identify the underlying causes of joint and musculoskeletal pain and inflammation. They then develop unique treatment plans for each patient based on their needs and conditions. These plans may include medication, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and surgery, depending on the severity and complexity of the disease.
In addition to treating patients, rheumatologists also play an essential role in researching the causes and treatments of rheumatic diseases. They are associated with other healthcare professionals, including primary care doctors, physical therapists, and orthopedic surgeons, to provide comprehensive care to patients with rheumatic diseases.
To become a rheumatologist, one must complete years of rigorous education and training. The educational path to becoming a rheumatologist begins with a four-year undergraduate degree in a relevant field, such as biology or pre-medicine. After completing their undergraduate studies, students must apply to a medical school program. Medical school typically lasts four years and includes classroom-based learning and hands-on clinical experience.
After graduating from medical school, aspiring rheumatologists complete a residency program in internal medicine. This residency typically lasts three years and provides doctors with advanced training in detecting and treating various medical conditions. During their residency, doctors work under the supervision of experienced physicians and gain valuable experience in patient care, diagnostic techniques, and treatment strategies.
Once the residency program is complete, doctors who wish to specialize in rheumatology must complete a fellowship program in the field. The rheumatology fellowship program lasts two to three years and provides advanced training in treating rheumatic diseases and conditions. During their fellowship, doctors work alongside experienced rheumatologists and gain hands-on experience managing complex rheumatologic cases.
Rheumatologists must also pass exams throughout their education and training to obtain and maintain their medical licensure and certification. In the United States, rheumatologists are board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
Developing particular antibodies against self-antigens and involving various bodily systems, including the skin, muscles, and joints, characterize a systemic autoimmune disorder. The dysregulation of the immune system, resulting in either an overactive or low-activity state of the immune system, indicates these diseases. Overactivity of the immune system can attack the body's tissues and organs. In contrast, low activity decreases the ability to fight foreign invasion, making the body vulnerable to infections. Even though several autoimmune diseases primarily impact one specific tissue, they all can potentially harm various organ systems.
There are more than 100 autoimmune diseases. The exact number of autoimmune conditions cannot be uncertain because the disorders are clinically heterogeneous. They are classified based on different criteria. Classifying autoimmune diseases as systemic or organ-specific is determined by the location of the autoimmune attack. This classification system is helpful in orienting primary care physicians and patients to required specialties.
Organ-specific autoimmune diseases are ones in which the patient's immune system selectively targets a particular organ or tissue, for example, Grave's disease and vitiligo. In systemic autoimmune diseases, the pathological damage affects several different organs and tissues, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc. Rheumatologists treat these conditions. Therefore, "systemic autoimmune illness" and "rheumatic autoimmune diseases" are frequently used interchangeably.
Five common systemic diseases are as follows:
Several autoimmune diseases have similar early symptoms, such as swelling, redness, low-grade fever, fatigue, achy muscles, hair loss, and problems concentrating. Its symptoms, such as psoriasis or RA, can vary, with a flare-up being a period when symptoms are present. Remission, conversely, signifies a timeframe during which symptoms disappear.
Systemic autoimmune diseases are entirely or partially diagnostic. For instance, an individual with sun-sensitive rash is likelier to have SLE, whereas a person with oral or ocular sicca is likelier to have Sjogren's syndrome. For instance, a disease that concurrently affects multiple organs is difficult to diagnose. Sometimes, patients have a persistent fever that becomes resistant to medical diagnosis. This condition is known as the syndrome of fever of unknown origin. Approximately 33.33% of such cases are attributable to a systemic autoimmune disease, whereas the rest are attributable to neoplastic etiologies or infections.
If you have a rheumatological condition, you must visit a skilled rheumatologist near you for check-ups. These appointments help monitor the progress of your disease, track flares, and assess your response to medications. Keeping your rheumatologist informed about any lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments, or modifications to your exercise routine is vital.
Here are specific situations when scheduling a visit with your rheumatologist becomes necessary:
Systemic autoimmune diseases significantly affect your life and need special care and early diagnosis. With Zocdoc, you can find the top rheumatologists in Boston in minutes. The website directs you to a list of top-rated rheumatologists in Boston upon mentioning your condition/symptoms, location, preferred date, and insurance carrier. In addition, you can also view the details about practitioners mentioned on their profiles, including their education, training, experience, gender, affiliations, specialty, location, and even the languages they speak.
You can also filter your rheumatologist search by your insurance plan to find and book a meeting with a provider who accepts your insurance plan. If you need more clarification regarding your insurance plan, use Zocdoc's insurance plan checker. Zocdoc makes your booking hassle-free and quick. You can also refer to the verified patient reviews for selecting the best rheumatologist near you.
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As per the National Institutes of Health, autoimmune diseases impact around 20 million people in the United States. The American Autoimmune and Related Disorders Association recently conducted a survey where individuals with autoimmune and related disorders self-reported their experiences. Over 66% of respondents reported experiencing continuous and incapacitating fatigue, which hindered their ability to perform basic daily activities.
According to a study by Charles G. et al. (2008), over 21% of US adults (46.4 million) have self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis. They estimated that in 2008, 1.3 million adults had rheumatoid arthritis, 294,000 children had juvenile arthritis, 49,000 had systemic sclerosis, 0.6 million to 2.4 million had spondyloarthritides, and 0.4 million to 3.1 million adults had primary Sjogren's syndrome.
A cohort study of COVID-19 in patients with autoimmune diseases by Eng Hooi et al. (2021) reported that most autoimmune disease patients hospitalized for COVID-19 were female, older, and had prior comorbidities. Moreover, compared to influenza, COVID-19 hospitalized patients with autoimmune diseases had worse outcomes and a higher 30-day mortality rate.
In Boston, the estimated prevalence of arthritis among adults over 18 years was 17.9%, with a 95% CI (17.8, 17.9), and the age-adjusted majority was 21.8% (21.8, 21.9) in 2019.
John Hopkins Medicine Pathology
American College of Rheumatology
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.