Rheumatology

This program aims to support primary care providers with diagnosis and management of their rheumatic patients, allowing for early treatment so that tissue/joint damage is avoided or reduced.

Program learning objectives are:

To develop an approach to identifying inflammatory arthritis in order to

Facilitate early referral and management
Optimize triage

Identifying clinical, laboratory and radiographic features suggestive of disease flare/activity
Monitoring for side effects of commonly used disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)

Monitoring for disease and treatment associated comorbidity

ECHO Patient case form

Details

Date and Time

Friday

12.00pm - 1:30pm

Location

Videoconferencing

RESOURCES
REGISTER

2025 Program

Date	Didactic Topic
10 Jan	Primary Care Considerations when treating the Patient with Rheumatic Disease
17 Jan	Understanding Rheumatology: A practical approach to assessing polyarthritis
24 Jan	Imaging and Ultrasound: What, When, Where, Why
31 Jan	No session
07 Feb	Lab Testing and Evaluating the Positive ANA: When to order or when not to order
14 Feb	No session
21 Feb	Screening and monitoring of rheumatic diseases
28 Feb	No session
07 Mar	Peripheral Spondyloarthritis
14 Mar	No session
21 Mar	Axial Spondyloarthropathies
28 Mar	Vaccines Part 1
04 Apr	Expanding Your Differential Diagnosis
11 Apr	Vaccines Part 2
18 Apr	No session
25 Apr	Methotresxate, Conventional Disease Modifying Agent
02 May	Biologic Disease Modifying Agents
09 May	Role of Allied Health in Rheumatology (Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy)
16 May	No session - Victoria Day
23 May	Osteoarthritis
30 May	Psychological and Social Considerations following Rheumatic Disease diagnosis
06 June	Psoriatic arthritis
13 June	Gout and CPPD
20 June	Myopathies, weakness, and elevated CK
27 June	No session
04 July	Lupus
11 July	Musculoskeletal Complications of Diabetes Mellitus
18 July	Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)/ Giant-cell arthritis GCA)
25 July - 5 Sept	No session - Summer Break
12 Sept	Osteoporosis Part 1
19 Sept	Osteoporosis Part 2
26 Sept	Rheumatology Emergencies: Articular and Non-Articular
03 Oct	Preventative Health for Patients with Immune-mediated Rheumatic Disease
10 Oct	No session
17 Oct	Skin Manifestations
24 Oct	Juvenile Rheumatology
31 Oct	Diet and lifestyle implications on Rheumatic disease
07 Nov	Management of Rheumatology conditions in Pregnancy
14 Nov	Immuno-Oncology
21 Nov	Pain Management
28 Nov	Rheumatoid arthritis
05 Dec	Common regional MSK disorders – Lower
12 Dec	Common regional MSK disorders – Upper
19 Dec	Referring to a rheumatologist: When, whom, what and how

2026 Program

Date	Didactic Topic
09 Jan	Primary Care Considerations when treating the Patient with Rheumatic Disease
16 Jan	Understanding Rheumatology: A practical approach to assessing polyarthritis
23 Jan	Imaging and Ultrasound: What, When, Where, Why
30 Jan	No session
06 Feb	Lab Testing and Evaluating the Positive ANA: When to order or when not to order
13 Feb	Screening and monitoring of rheumatic diseases
20 Feb	No session
27 Feb	Expanding Your Differential Diagnosis
06 Mar	Psoriatic arthritis
13 Mar	Peripheral Spondyloarthritis
20 Mar	No session
27 Mar	Axial Spondyloarthropathies
03 Apr	No session
10 Apr	Osteoarthritis
17 Apr	No session
24 Apr	Gout and CPPD
01 May	Role of Allied Health in Rheumatology (Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy)
08 May	Myopathies, weakness, and elevated CK
15 May	No session
22 May	Lupus
29 May	Musculoskeletal Complications of Diabetes Mellitus
05 June	Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)/ Giant-cell arthritis GCA)
12 June	Osteoporosis Part 1
19 June	Osteoporosis Part 2
26 June	Vaccines Part 1
03 July	No session
10 July	Vaccines Part 2
17 July	Methotrexate, Conventional Disease Modifying Agents
24 July	Biologic Disease Modifying Agents
31 July - 4 Sept	No session - Summer Break
11 Sept	Rheumatology Emergencies
18 Sept	Vasculitis
25 Sept	Menopause: its impact on Rheumatological and MSK conditions
02 Oct	Juvenile Rheumatology
09 Oct	No session
16 Oct	Skin Manifestations
23 Oct	Diet and lifestyle implications on Rheumatic disease
30 Oct	Preventative Health for Patients with Immune-mediated Rheumatic Disease
06 Nov	Immuno-Oncology
13 Nov	Pain Management
20 Nov	Rheumatoid arthritis
27 Nov	Common regional MSK disorders – Lower
04 Dec	Common regional MSK disorders – Upper
11 Dec	Referring to a rheumatologist: When, whom, what and how

This activity has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Ontario Chapter for up to 52.5 Mainpro+® Certified Activity credits.

CPD certificates will be emailed to participants at the end of each cycle.

Case Presentation

Do you have a challenging rheumatic patient case?
ECHO offers access to interprofessional, specialist and community input to gain practical tips to best care for your patient, without the wait time.
All patient cases are anonymous. Please do not share any patient identifying information.

Inter professional “Hub” Team

Amanda Steiman

Medical Lead of ECHO Ontario Rheumatology (UHN)

Cassandra Schulz

Family Physician

Erin Puhalski

Physiotherapist

Wesley Fidler

Clinical Rheumatologist

Carolyn Whiskin

Clinical Pharmacist

Jadie Lo

Pharmacist