Familial Physicians and other healthcare professionals look for ways to improve care for rheumatic disease patients

Rheumatic diseases are the cause for an ever growing number of visits to primary care physicians. Age, excess weight, genetic predisposition and joint wear and tear, among other factors, are associated to the onset of osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and low back pain.

Family physicians play a key role in the early detection of these diseases, as most medical visits are made to primary care professionals. But the collaboration of rheumatologists, rehabilitators, physiotherapists, etc., it is also necessary if we are to improve patient care. If the general population is made aware of the needs of rheumatic disease patients and how to prevent these diseases, we will achieve even better results.

In order to raise awareness among the general population, as well as improving the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of these diseases, healthcare professionals from different medical fields will attend next Friday, November 30th, in the Meliá Lebreros Hotel in Seville, Spain the 2nd conference of Clinical Rheumatology of the Spanish Society of Familial and Community Medicine (II Jornada Clínica de la Sociedad Española de Medicina de Familia y Comunitaria (semFYC) en reumatología). The conference, sponsored by Bioibérica Farma, will be co-ordinated by Dr. Alejandro Tejedor, head of the Rheumatic diseases workgroup of semFYC, and by Dr. Francisco Javier Gallo, head of the musculoskeletal system workgroup of the Andalusian Society of Familial and Community Medicine (Samfyc).

The prevalence and impact of these diseases is growing alarmingly. For instance, in the case of osteoarthritis, the most common rheumatic disease, it is expected that the number of patients will double in the next years. By 2020 it will be fourth most common cause of disability worldwide, because of the increase in life expectancy and the progressive aging of the population.