Rheumatology and Immunology Department

The Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital is the chairman unit of the Rheumatology Branch of Tianjin Medical Association and a master's degree-granting site. It was formerly known as the Department of Infectious Diseases. Professor Wu Zonglin is the founder of the specialty and is one of the first master's degree programs of Tianjin Medical College.

In 1989, the name was changed to the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, with Professor Shao Weichuan and Professor Gong Lu successively serving as department directors, and an immunology professional group was established. It was the first discipline to diagnose and treat rheumatism in Tianjin. In 2011, it was renamed again as the Department of Infectious Diseases/Rheumatology and Immunology, with Professor Gong Lu as the subject leader. In September 2013, it was officially separated from the Department of Infectious Diseases and became an independent department, with Professor Wei Wei as the director.

The department currently has 26 doctors, including 4 chief physicians, 6 deputy chief physicians, and 2 master's degree supervisors. The proportion of doctors with doctorate or master's degrees reaches 92.3%.

There are 6 people serving in academic groups at or above the municipal level. Professor Wei Wei is currently a member of the Rheumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, a standing committee member of the Rheumatology and Immunology Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, a deputy director of the connective tissue disease-related pulmonary vascular/interstitial disease group of the Rheumatology and Immunology Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and a chairman of the Rheumatology Branch of the Tianjin Medical Association.

The department has 48 open beds, including 14 beds in the critical ward, and treats a large number of difficult and critical patients from the city and surrounding areas.

There are 2,300 discharged patients annually and nearly 100,000 outpatient visits annually.

A discipline team with strong clinical capabilities has been formed and has rich experience in the diagnosis and treatment of common rheumatic and immune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

It was awarded the first batch of "Demonstration Center for Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension Related to Connective Tissue Diseases" and "Standardized Unit for the Construction of Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Rheumatoid Arthritis" in the country.

It is unique in the treatment of severe rheumatism, connective tissue disease-related pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease and immunocompromised patients with infections, and early diagnosis of joint diseases, and won the third prize of Tianjin Science and Technology Progress Award.

A national-level continuing education class with the theme of "New Advances in Rheumatism" is held every year, dedicated to the training of rheumatology specialists in Tianjin and surrounding areas. At the same time, it conducts extensive exchanges with well-known experts and professors at home and abroad on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment progress of rheumatism, and promotes discipline construction.