Pune Rheumatology Center

27/11/2025

𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻" 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰: 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲?

Today I saw a patient who had come for a second opinion. In reality, it was his fourth or fifth opinion. In India many call this doctor shopping. But I do not believe patients are looking for a new treatment option. They are looking for peace of mind. Sometimes the problem in Indian healthcare is not access to doctors. It is access to unbiased and trustworthy validation.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁
In our current ecosystem, information is rarely viewed as neutral. Patients often feel that medical advice comes with a bias.

• If a surgeon suggests surgery, we fear a commercial bias.
• If a hospital advises many tests, we fear an institutional bias.
• If we Google something, we are flooded with worst case scenarios that create panic.

Patients are drowning in opinions but starving for validation. They do not need a second opinion on the medicine. They need a second opinion on the authenticity of the advice.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸: 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗯𝗶𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿

This is the unspoken role AI needs to play. We do not need AI to replace our doctors or generate five more differential diagnoses. What most patients want is a calm voice that says: yes, you are on the right track.
Imagine an AI companion that acts as a translator between doctor’s expertise and patient’s anxiety. It would not offer treatment. Instead, it would answer the simple but haunting questions that keep patients awake at night.

𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲: "Based on current guidelines, the treatment Dr Patil prescribed is the standard approach for this stage of the disease."

𝗝𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "The doctor wrote idiopathic. This means the cause is unknown. It does not mean anything dangerous was missed."

𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "You are worried about this side effect. Data shows this happens in less than 1 percent of cases. Your fear is valid but the risk is low."

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Google may say 'no cure available for this condition'. AI can explain that this does not mean no treatment available. It helps patients understand chronic management vs a dead end.

𝗗𝗲-𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: "My pharmacist said I was prescribed steroids. Are those bad?" AI can clarify. "These are corticosteroids used to reduce inflammation. They are not anabolic steroids. It is safe and standard for your condition."

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗽

The future of AI in Indian healthcare should not only be about faster diagnostics or robotic procedures. It should be about rebuilding trust. If an unbiased AI can verify that your doctor is doing the right thing, you would be ready to commit to the treatment plan.

13/11/2025

Pune Office Orthopaedic Course 2025

Early Arthritis Clinics are common in western countries and they have changed the long term outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis at a population level.

We do not yet have a similar system in India. But I strongly feel that if we can train orthopaedic colleagues to recognise early RA in their OPD, it can serve the same purpose. It will have multiple challenges but if we find a shared care protocol and some structural changes, it may work.

At POOC 2025, this belief felt stronger. Speaking to a packed hall of orthopaedic colleagues reminded me why cross specialty conversations matter so much.

I spoke on two topics that directly influence our shared patients.
What You Should Not Miss in the orthopaedic OPD and Beyond DMARDs - The Biologic Revolution in MSK Care.

Grateful to the organisers for creating a platform where orthopaedics and rheumatologists learn from each other and move patient care forward together.

24/10/2025

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗜, 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗖𝗥𝗣: 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥

In rheumatology, we often talk about patient-reported outcomes but rarely pause to ask the patient,
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻?

A young homemaker in her 30s with rheumatoid arthritis once told me she was unable to cook in the mornings.

With tears rolling down her cheeks, she said,
“एक महिन्या पासून रोज मुलांना डब्यात पोहे देयून पाठवत आहे.”
(For the past one month, I’ve been sending my children to school with pohe in their tiffin every day.)

Her husband had been managing with street food.
That one sentence said more than any swollen joint count or CRP ever could.

Her goal was not remission, a lower CRP, or steroid-free treatment.
It was simple and deeply personal. 𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻.
To feed her family with home-cooked, healthy meals.

We focused on what mattered to her: quick pain relief, hand exercises, and small daily goals.

After a few days of treatment, her CRP was not normal.
But she was smiling and said,
𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗸𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗵𝗶 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗹𝗲, 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶-𝗯𝗵𝗮𝗷𝗶 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗹𝗶.
(Doctor, I didn’t make pohe yesterday, I made chapati and bhaji.)

CRP can wait. Chapati can’t.
That is what healing looks like.

That moment reminded me that true healing in rheumatology is not only about lowering inflammation.
It is about 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.

𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗥𝗣.
𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲.

18/10/2025

🪔 Happy Diwali! 🪔
We will be on a Diwali break till 24th October.

Our team has tried to accommodate and see as many patients as possible before the holidays.

In case of any emergency, please visit your nearest hospital.

Wishing you and your family a joyful, safe, and healthy Diwali! 🌟

— Team Pune Rheumatology Center

🪔 दिवाळीच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा!🪔

आमचे क्लिनिक २४ ऑक्टोबरपर्यंत दिवाळी सुट्टीसाठी बंद राहील.

सुट्टीपूर्वी शक्य तितक्या रुग्णांना आम्ही तपासले आहे.

कुठल्याही इमरजेंसी/आपत्कालीन परिस्थितीत, कृपया जवळच्या रुग्णालयात संपर्क साधा.

आपण आणि आपल्या परिवाराला आनंदी, सुरक्षित आणि निरोगी दिवाळीच्या शुभेच्छा! 🌟

— पुणे रुमॅटोलॉजी सेंटर टीम

13/10/2025

🌍 World Arthritis Day 2025

Theme: “It’s in your hands, take action.”

Glad to have done my part today in raising awareness about rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, with a focus on Psoriatic Arthritis, the vital link between skin and joint disease.

At the Guiderm Regional Dermatology Summit, Pune Edition, organised by the Pune Chapter of IADVL, Maharashtra State Branch, I spoke on how to identify Psoriatic Arthritis in a busy dermatology OPD, including early clinical clues, investigations, interpretation, and treatment approach.

Early recognition and collaboration between dermatologists and rheumatologists can transform patient outcomes.

Grateful to Dr Amit Kelkar for the kind invitation and to the IADVL Pune team (Dr Shireen Poonawala, Dr Nitika Wagh, Dr Gautam Singh, Dr Sunil Tolat, Dr Vidyadhar Sardesai and Dr Anita Viegas) for an engaging and educational meeting.

08/09/2025

🙏 गणपती बाप्पा मोरया 🙏

आपल्या लाडक्या गणपती बाप्पांना निरोप देताना, Team Pune Rheumatology Center तर्फे त्यांच्या आशीर्वादाबद्दल आम्ही कृतज्ञतापूर्वक प्रार्थना अर्पण करीत आहोत.

बाप्पा, आम्हाला आमच्या “रुग्ण प्रथम” ध्येयाशी प्रामाणिक राहण्याची शक्ती द्या - कारण परिणाम नेहमी आपल्या हातात नसले तरी आमचे प्रयत्न आणि निष्ठा नेहमी खरे राहोत.

वैयक्तिक आयुष्यात कोणत्याही अडचणी आल्या तरी, कामावर असताना रुग्णसेवेवर अखंड लक्ष केंद्रित करण्याची, हसतमुख राहण्याची आणि करुणेने ऐकण्याची ताकद आम्हाला लाभो.

या प्रार्थनेसह आम्ही भक्तिभावाने म्हणतो: “पुढच्या वर्षी लवकर या”

— Team PRC

30/08/2025

Ganpati Bappa Morya! 🙏
* As part of our efforts to raise awareness of this arthritis in young people.

28/08/2025

20/06/2025

वारी ऑफ RA वॉरियर्स: वेदना, वारी आणि पांडुरंग

रामकृष्ण हरी 🙏🏼

मी स्वतः वारी अनुभवलेली नाही, पण गेल्या काही वर्षांत माझ्या रुग्णांकडून तिच्याबद्दल खूप ऐकलं आहे आणि दरवेळी थक्क व्हायला होतं.

गेल्या आठवड्यात अनेक आमवात (rheumatoid arthritis) असलेल्या पेशंट्सनी लवकर फॉलोअपसाठी भेट दिली.

खरंतर ते स्वतः आले नव्हते, त्यांच्या काळजी करणाऱ्या कुटुंबियांनी त्यांना आणलं कारण ते आळंदी ते पंढरपूर वारीसाठी निघणार आहेत.

सर्वांमध्ये एक गोष्ट समान — आत्मविश्वास आणि श्रद्धा.

“मला काही होणार नाही, पांडुरंग आहे आपल्यासोबत!” असं ते हसून सांगतात.

गेल्या ८ वर्षांपासून नियमितपणे येणारे एक वयोवृद्ध शेतकरी (प्राउडली मॅट्रिक पास),
दरवर्षीप्रमाणे यंदाही क्लिनिकमधून जाताना हसून म्हणाले:
“डाकटर , डोन्ट वरी… आय गोइंग वारी!” 😄

गेल्यावर्षीही असंच अनेक रुग्ण फक्त मुलांच्या आग्रहाखातर आले, आणि वारी करून परतले, तेही पेनकिलर आणि SOS औषधांचा बॉक्स न उघडता!

ना कोणती खास तयारी, ना डायेट प्लान.

त्यांचं बळ प्रोटीन शेकमधून नाही, ते पांडुरंगावरच्या अढळ श्रद्धेतून येतं.
कधी कधी शेक नव्हे, ही ‘अन्शेकेबल’ श्रद्धाच जास्त ताकदवान ठरते.

हे आमवाताचे रुग्ण दररोज वेदनेशी झुंज देतात. पण वारीत ते ३०० किमी चालतात -अशा ताकदीने, जी औषधांनीही समजावता येत नाही.

ही श्रद्धा, हे ध्येय, आणि आजाराच्या पलीकडे जाण्याची मानवी क्षमता- यातच दडलेलं असतं खरं बळ!

डॉ. प्रविण पाटील
संधिवात तज्ञ, पुणे

01/06/2025

Expiry Date of a Prescription

In India, most patients are well aware of the expiry dates printed on medication packaging—but many remain unaware (or overlook the fact) that prescriptions also have a limited validity period.

Just yesterday, I saw a patient who had been taking the same medication continuously for a year. When I reviewed his prescription, I noticed it was originally meant for just two months.

When I explained that continuing medication beyond the prescribed duration could be harmful, he said, “But I’m not taking anything else; I’ve just continued with the same medication you prescribed.”

Despite the discussion, he couldn’t understand how taking the right medication for the wrong duration could lead to problems.

🔍 What’s equally concerning is that these medications were still being dispensed by the pharmacy—long after the prescription had expired. Pharmacists play a critical role and should not refill prescriptions beyond their valid timeframe without proper renewal.

💡 Even safe medications can become unsafe if used without appropriate supervision.

26/04/2025

Heartbroken by the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Can’t stop thinking about the innocent lives lost and the families devastated. Praying for strength and justice. We must stand united against this hatred.

18/04/2025

It’s moments like these that remind us why we do what we do.

Last night, I was out for dinner with my family when the waiter walked up and said,
“Sir, ek madam aapse baat karna chahti hain.”

A lady was standing a little away from our table—I couldn’t recognize her. Curious and a bit confused, I walked over.

She looked emotional and said, “You may not remember me. I came to your clinic a year ago, hoping for answers. I had been to several doctors. You examined me, said it wasn’t arthritis, and referred me to another specialist. No tests, no prescriptions—just advice. Honestly, I left feeling disappointed.”

Then she smiled and added,
“But I did visit the specialist. He agreed with your diagnosis. I’m feeling so much better now. Your guidance changed my life. I didn’t get a chance to say thank you earlier. I saw you today and couldn’t stop myself. I’m sorry if I disturbed your dinner.”

I was speechless for a moment. It really made me reflect.

Sometimes, you get a thank you not for what you treat—but for what you choose not to treat.

A timely referral, without wasting a patient’s time or energy, can make all the difference.

We don’t always get to know the impact of our actions—but every now and then, a moment like this reminds us why we show up every day.

For all the long days, the busy OPDs, and the silent goodbyes—this is the real reward.

For all the milestones, metrics, and recognition along the way—it’s moments like these that truly ground us.

There’s no greater reward than knowing a thoughtful decision made a real difference in someone’s life. And no greater blessing than the quiet gratitude of those we’re here to serve.

Truly feeling grateful and humbled today.

(Though I must admit… I had a LOT of explaining to do to my wife over dinner!)