Rheumatic Disease Center

What Rheumatic Disease Center does

Rheumatic Disease Center (RDC) is the oldest and largest independent rheumatology practice in eastern Wisconsin, founded in 1972 and headquartered at 7080 N. Port Washington Rd in Glendale, WI, with a Saturday-only satellite clinic at 2500 W. Layton Ave in Milwaukee. The practice employs 51-100 staff including seven board-certified rheumatologists — John Albert MD, Katherine Finn DO, Suhail Hameed MD, Jonathan Kushi MD, Arnold Lim MD, Farrukh Pasha MD, and Kurt Oelke MD — whose training includes Johns Hopkins, Medical College of Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Hospital for Special Surgery/Cornell, and USC Keck. RDC serves patients with autoimmune and rheumatic conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic arthritis, gout, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis, vasculitis, myositis, scleroderma, sarcoidosis, Behçet's disease, uveitis, polymyalgia rheumatica, and Sjögren's syndrome.

The practice operates a fully integrated on-site care platform combining clinic consultation, laboratory testing, X-ray imaging, DEXA bone densitometry, diagnostic ultrasound, joint injections (corticosteroid, hyaluronic acid viscosupplementation, ultrasound/fluoroscopy-guided), and a dedicated infusion therapy center administering biologics such as Remicade, Simponi Aria, Orencia, Rituxan, Actemra, Cimzia, Benlysta, Krystexxa, Prolia, Reclast, and Boniva. An on-site Clinical Research Center directed by Dr. Kurt Oelke provides patient access to clinical drug trials, adding a pharma-sponsored research dimension. Technology infrastructure is conventional: eClinicalWeb-based electronic health records and patient portal, HealowPay digital billing, and standard diagnostic imaging equipment — no proprietary AI, ML, or digital-health platform is disclosed.

Revenue is generated through professional services under a fee-for-service / insurance-reimbursement model. The practice participates in 10+ payer networks including UnitedHealthcare, Anthem, Cigna, Aetna, Humana, Tricare, Molina, Medicare, Medicaid, and Wisconsin regional plans (Quartz, Network Health, iCare), with co-pays collected at time of service and a 3.5% credit card surcharge scheduled for April 1, 2026. Go-to-market is sales-led via physician referral networks and community reputation rather than direct-to-consumer marketing; there are no disclosed funding rounds, M&A activity, or PE/VC involvement. RDC is privately held by its physician group with no parent company or external investors.

Name

Rheumatic Disease Center

Legal name

Rheumatic Disease Center

Website

https://rheumaticdiseasecenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rheumatic Disease Center is the oldest and largest independent rheumatology practice in eastern Wisconsin, operating from Glendale and Milwaukee with seven board-certified rheumatologists delivering diagnosis, on-site diagnostics, infusion therapy, joint injections, and clinical drug studies for autoimmune and rheumatic disease patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rheumatology Services

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111), All Other Outpatient Care Centers (621498)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAKAAAJ

Autoimmune/Immune Dysregulation Specialty Clinics

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Allergy & Immunology

Keywords

• Rheumatology care
• Autoimmune disease treatment
• Infusion therapy services
• Joint injection procedures
• Bone density testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Glendale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Patient Care Services: Revenue generated from clinical consultations, diagnostic procedures, infusion therapy, joint injections, and ongoing disease management. Payment collected through insurance reimbursement, co-pays at time of service, and self-pay. Accepts credit cards, debit cards, HSA/FSA cards, checks, and money orders. A credit card surcharge of 3.5% will be implemented April 1, 2026.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rheumatic Disease Center is an independent rheumatology practice that diagnoses and treats autoimmune and rheumatic conditions through on-site specialist consultations, in-office diagnostics (lab testing, X-ray, ultrasound, DEXA bone density scans), joint injections, and a fully staffed infusion therapy center. The practice also runs an on-site clinical drug study program and serves patients across eastern Wisconsin from offices in Glendale and Milwaukee.

Product overview

Rheumatic Disease Center is the oldest and largest independent rheumatology practice in eastern Wisconsin, offering comprehensive on-site diagnostic and treatment services. The practice operates a unified care platform combining clinical consultation, in-office diagnostics (lab testing, X-ray imaging, bone densitometry/DEXA scans, ultrasound), infusion therapy center, joint injection procedures, and clinical drug studies. The practice treats a wide range of autoimmune and rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, osteoarthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis, scleroderma, myositis, vasculitis, Sjögren's syndrome, Behçet's disease, sarcoidosis, polymyalgia rheumatica, and uveitis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinic Consultation In-office consultation with a board-certified rheumatologist for diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic conditions including autoimmune diseases, joint disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions. First appointment approximately one hour, with additional time if X-rays or lab work are required.
• Lab Testing On-site laboratory testing services for diagnostic purposes, including blood tests to identify autoimmune markers, inflammation levels, and other indicators of rheumatic disease.
• X-Ray Imaging Diagnostic X-ray imaging services performed in-office for evaluation of joint damage, bone abnormalities, and disease progression in rheumatic conditions.
• Bone Densitometry (DEXA Scan) On-site bone density testing using DEXA (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) technology to measure bone mineral density, assess osteoporosis risk, and evaluate body fat percentage and lean mass distribution. The gold standard scan takes 10-20 minutes and is non-invasive.
• Ultrasound Diagnostic ultrasound imaging for evaluation of soft tissue inflammation, joint effusion, and guided procedures in rheumatologic conditions.
• Infusion Therapy Center Dedicated on-site infusion therapy center providing intravenous administration of medications for autoimmune and rheumatic disorders. Offers treatments including TNF inhibitors, B-cell depletion therapy, T-cell costimulatory blockers, and immunoglobulin (IVIg). Medications administered include Remicade, Simponi Aria, Orencia, Rituxan, Actemra, Cimzia, Benlysta, Krystexxa, Prolia, Reclast, and Boniva.
• Joint Injections Therapeutic injections delivering medication directly to joint tissues to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Includes corticosteroid injections, local anesthetic injections, and hyaluronic acid (viscosupplementation) for arthritis. Procedures use ultrasound imaging or fluoroscopy for guidance.
• Clinical Drug Study On-site clinical research center providing patients access to new therapies and treatments for rheumatic conditions through clinical trials. Directed by Dr. Kurt Oelke, the program offers participation in studies for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and autoimmune diseases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9 out of 5 stars based on 517 patient reviews
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS): National-leading orthopedic and rheumatology hospital with comprehensive infusion, diagnostics, and research programs. Comparable as a rheumatology care destination for autoimmune and joint disease with training pedigree tied to several RDC physicians' fellowship histories.
• Cleveland Clinic Rheumatology: Multi-specialty health system rheumatology department providing autoimmune and rheumatic disease care, infusion, and research. Competes with RDC for complex referrals from Wisconsin and the broader Midwest via telehealth and referrals.
• Mayo Clinic Rheumatology: Academic medical center rheumatology division offering advanced specialty care, infusion, and clinical research at significant scale. Overlaps with RDC across the autoimmune and rheumatic disease service line and competes for complex referral cases regionally and nationally.

Direct peers

• American Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates (AARA): Large network of community-based rheumatology practices with on-site infusion suites, clinical research programs, and shared back-office infrastructure. Closely mirrors RDC's independent-practice-plus-research business model at larger geographic scale.
• Arthritis & Rheumatism Associates: Multi-location independent rheumatology practice in the greater Washington, D.C./Mid-Atlantic area offering on-site infusion therapy, diagnostics, and clinical research. Most directly comparable independent specialty competitor in terms of service mix, physician group structure, and revenue model.

Others

• United Rheumatology: Practice management and MSO organization serving independent rheumatology practices with GPO, research, and operational support. Comparable because RDC operates in the same independent rheumatology segment that United Rheumatology's platform aggregates.

Regional players

• Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Rheumatology: Academic-affiliated rheumatology group serving the greater Milwaukee area and eastern Wisconsin, the same catchment as RDC. Most direct regional competitor for insured patients and physician referrals in Wisconsin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RheumaticDiseaseCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rheumatic-disease-center

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rheumatic Disease Center