Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie e. V. (DGRh)

What Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie e. V. (DGRh) does

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie e.V. (DGRh) is Germany's largest medical-scientific professional society for rheumatology and clinical immunology, founded in 1927 and headquartered in Berlin (Wilhelmine-Gemberg-Weg 6, 10179 Berlin). It is organized as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.) — a registered non-profit association under German law — and currently serves more than 1,850 members across ordinary, corporate (korporative), honorary, and medical-student categories, plus a broader audience of >3,000 congress attendees at its annual Rheumatologiekongress (RhK). The society's core offerings include a portfolio of 13+ S3-level clinical guidelines, the peer-reviewed Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie journal, the rhmtlgy / #rhmtlgy public awareness campaign, structured patient Schulung programs, the Studierendenprogramm and Skriptum Rheumatologie for medical students, and the Mentoringprogramm Leadership Rheumatologie and Summer School / EU Summer School for young rheumatologists. It also operates registers (notably the COVID-19-rheuma.de register, which ranked #1 in the EULAR COVID-19 registry with >3,000 documented patients and 44 publications) and quality-standards initiatives delivered through RheMIT and the DRFZ Kerndokumentation.

The society's business model is membership-driven and event-driven: primary revenue comes from membership dues (across the four membership categories), congress registration and sponsorship, journal subscriptions, and contributions from affiliated entities including the Rheumatologische Fortbildungsakademie, the Deutsche Rheumastiftung, the Stiftung der DGRh, and the Bündnis für Rheumatologie coalition (with BDRh, VRA, and the Fortbildungsakademie). Distribution is concentrated in Germany (DACH footprint), with selective European reach via EULAR and UEMS liaison relationships. GTM motion is primarily event-driven — anchored on the annual RhK congress, Summer Schools, mentoring events, and the #rhmtlgy campaign — supplemented by a members-only digital portal, the dgrh.de institutional site, the rheuma2025.de campaign hub, social channels (Instagram @r_rhmtlgy, YouTube MedCase live, Facebook, Vimeo), and a dedicated rheumatology career portal (rheumatologiekarriere.de). No proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capability is described; DGRh operates as a content, convening, and standards-setting body rather than a software or product company.

Name

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie e. V. (DGRh)

Legal name

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie e.V.

Website

https://dgrh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DGRh is Germany's largest medical-scientific professional society for rheumatology and clinical immunology, founded in 1927. It serves more than 1,850 members and >3,000 annual congress attendees through S3 clinical guidelines, the Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie journal, the annual RhK congress, mentoring programs, and the #rhmtlgy public awareness campaign.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: DGRh generates revenue primarily through membership fees. The society has different membership categories: ordinary members (ordentliche Mitglieder), corporate members (korporative Mitglieder), honorary members (Ehrenmitglieder), and medical students (Medizinstudierende). Membership includes access to the members-only portal, the journal 'Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie', and member services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DGRh is a non-profit medical-scientific professional society that serves rheumatologists and clinical immunologists through clinical practice guidelines, the annual Rheumatologiekongress, the Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie journal, research stipends and awards, continuing medical education, and a mentoring program. It also develops patient education (Patientenschulung) programs for inflammatory rheumatic diseases and operates the #rhmtlgy public awareness campaign targeting medical students, young physicians, and the general public.

Product overview

DGRh is a medical professional society website serving rheumatologists and researchers rather than a traditional product company. Its offerings include the annual DGRh Kongress (RhK) scientific conference, the Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie (ZfR) peer-reviewed journal, and the password-protected Mitgliederbereich member portal with access to publications, protocols, and resources. Educational offerings include the Mentoringprogramm Leadership Rheumatologie for career development, Skriptum Rheumatologie and Studierendenprogramm for medical students, and the rhmtlgy public awareness campaign with MedCase live video sessions. Patient-facing services include modular Patientenschulung education programs. The society also develops Qualitätsstandards quality indicators for rheumatology care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• rhmtlgy: Public awareness and recruitment campaign targeting medical students, young rheumatologists, patients, and policymakers. Includes digital content, social media presence (#rhmtlgy), and the website rheuma2025.de/rheuma2030.de.
• #rheuma2025
• Rheumatologiekongress (RhK)

Products and services

• Rheumatologiekongress (RhK) Annual Congress

Quantifiable outcome

• DGRh congress (RhK) attracts more than 3,000 congress guests annually.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and minor.

• Rheumatologische FortbildungsakademiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Rheumatologische Fortbildungsakademie (Rheumatology Continuing Education Academy) is listed as a key partner of DGRh, collaborating on the development and delivery of continuing medical education programs, courses, and certification curricula for rheumatologists and medical assistants.
• Deutsche RheumastiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Deutsche Rheumastiftung (German Rheumatism Foundation) is a partner organization of DGRh, working together on patient support, public awareness, and fundraising for rheumatology research.
• Stiftung der DGRh (Foundation of DGRh)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe DGRh's own foundation provides funding for research grants, stipends, and awards to support rheumatology research in Germany.
• Bündnis für Rheumatologie (Alliance for Rheumatology)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bündnis für Rheumatologie is a coalition led by DGRh together with the Berufsverband Deutscher Rheumatologen (BDRh), the Verband Rheumatologischer Akutkliniken (VRA), and the Rheumatologische Fortbildungsakademie. The alliance runs the #rhmtlgy/rheuma2025 public awareness and medical student recruitment campaign.
• Lindgrün GmbH, BerlinmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLindgrün GmbH (Berlin) is the strategic communications agency partnered with the Bündnis für Rheumatologie to develop the digital platform for the #rhmtlgy campaign, including the rheuma2025.de website, social media strategy, and public-facing materials.
• Interdisziplinäre ImpfAllianz (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Infektiologie)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe DGRh Commission on Vaccinations and Infections collaborates with the Interdisziplinäre ImpfAllianz led by Prof. Clara Lehmann (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Infektiologie) to strengthen specialist vaccination practices.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Infektiologie (DGI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGRh collaborates with the German Society for Infectious Diseases on vaccination guidelines and infection management for patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases.
• Deutsche AIDS-GesellschaftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe DGRh Commission on Vaccinations and Infections collaborates with the German AIDS Society (Dr. Hanna Linke) on HIV and inflammatory rheumatic diseases.
• Robert Koch-Institut (RKI)minorOthersDGRh references RKI guidelines and the Epidemiologisches Bulletin for vaccination recommendations. The Commission on Vaccinations and Infections aligns its recommendations with STIKO (Standing Committee on Vaccination) guidance from the RKI.
• EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGRh maintains a formal liaison relationship with EULAR. DGRh representatives serve on EULAR committees, and DGRh registers (including the COVID-19 register) contributed to EULAR's international COVID-19 registry, ranking #1 among all countries.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Innere Medizin (DGIM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGRh collaborates with DGIM on guideline development, continuing education, and health policy advocacy. DGRh's liaison commission maintains regular communication with DGIM leadership.
• AGJR / EMEUNET (Young Rheumatology / EULAR Musculoskeletal Ultrasound)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Arbeitsgemeinschaft Junge Rheumatologie (AGJR) is DGRh's official young rheumatology working group, collaborating with EMEUNET on mentoring, congress programming, and career development for young rheumatologists.
• DRFZ / Kerndokumentation (German Rheumatism Research Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGRh's Commission on Registers works closely with the DRFZ's Kerndokumentation (Core Documentation) database, which serves as a model for rheumatology register infrastructure in Germany.
• Rheumatologischer Qualitätsverbund (Rheumatology Quality Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGRh's Commission on Quality Standards collaborates with the VRA's KOBRA benchmarking project and RheMIT (rheumatology practice software) for the implementation of quality standards in rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immunologie (DGfI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGRh collaborates with the German Society for Immunology, with overlapping membership and joint initiatives in translational immunology and the Weiterbildung (continuing education) curriculum for clinical immunology.
• IQWiG (Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare)minorOthersDGRh's Commission on Pharmacotherapy submits formal statements to IQWiG for benefit assessments of rheumatologic medications and interacts with the G-BA (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss) on drug evaluations.
• UEMS (Union of European Medical Specialists)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGRh maintains a liaison relationship with UEMS through Prof. Gabriela Riemekasten, working on European standards for rheumatology training and certification.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Société Française de Rhumatologie (SFR): National French rheumatology society operating the same member-funded, society/congress/guideline model as DGRh. Different geography but direct functional comparator for national rheumatology society operations.
• Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR): Umbrella rheumatology organization covering Asia-Pacific national societies. Functions analogously to EULAR's relationship with DGRh and provides a peer reference for international rheumatology society federation models.

Direct peers

• Deutsche Rheuma-Liga: Germany's largest patient-led self-help organization for people with rheumatic diseases, co-developing DGRh's Patientenschulung and providing the patient perspective within the Bündnis für Rheumatologie.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Innere Medizin (DGIM): Germany's leading internal medicine specialty society, a confirmed DGRh collaboration partner on guidelines, CME, and health policy. Operates the same Berlin-based, member-funded Fachgesellschaft structure.
• European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR): Pan-European umbrella rheumatology organization with which DGRh holds formal liaison. EULAR represents national rheumatology societies, develops continental guidelines, and runs the European congress — the most direct higher-tier comparator for DGRh's scientific society role.
• Verband Rheumatologischer Akutkliniken (VRA): Association of German acute rheumatology clinics, a DGRh partner on KOBRA quality benchmarking, RheMIT software, and Patientenschulung. Closely aligned with DGRh's clinical and quality-improvement mission.
• Berufsverband Deutscher Rheumatologen (BDRh): Professional association of practicing German rheumatologists and DGRh's co-leader of the Bündnis für Rheumatologie. Directly parallel organization serving the same member base with a more practice-economics focus.
• British Society for Rheumatology (BSR): UK national rheumatology professional society of comparable size with a similar membership, clinical guideline, training, and annual congress offering — making it the closest like-for-like national comparator to DGRh.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immunologie (DGfI): German society for immunology with which DGRh has documented collaboration on translational immunology and Weiterbildung curriculum. Comparable in size and member-funded structure.
• American College of Rheumatology (ACR): U.S. rheumatology professional society publishing flagship journals and treatment guidelines and running the largest annual rheumatology meeting. Operates the same member-funded, guideline-driven, congress-anchored model as DGRh at national scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user132104658
• Facebookfacebook.com/dgrh1927
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dgrh-ev
• Instagraminstagram.com/r_rhmtlgy/?hl=de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie e. V. (DGRh)