Empowered Arthritis and Rheumatology Center

What Empowered Arthritis and Rheumatology Center does

Empowered Arthritis and Rheumatology Center (EARC) is a physician-led private rheumatology practice (PLLC) headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, co-founded by Dr. Ananta Subedi, MD, MPH and Dr. Sandeepkumar Gupta, MD, FACR. The practice diagnoses and manages inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis), autoimmune connective tissue diseases (lupus, Sjögren's, scleroderma), vasculitis, gout, and other rheumatic conditions for patients across the Triangle NC region — including Cary, Raleigh, Durham, Wake Forest, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and Chapel Hill. The clinical team comprises two fellowship-trained rheumatologists and two board-certified physician assistants (Andrea Richards and Hannah Joy Hering), supported by front desk, nursing, lab, and infusion staff.

The clinical offering is built around an integrated single-site care model: consultations and extended physician encounters (new patients receive 20+ minutes), in-office joint ultrasound for diagnosis and monitoring, an on-site LabCorp reference laboratory, an on-site biologic infusion suite (Simponi Aria, Benlysta, other DMARDs/biologics), and co-located Wake Radiology for X-ray. An EARC Chronic Care Management Program provides between-visit care coordination, and telehealth appointments are offered alongside in-person visits. The technology stack is conventional — eClinicalWorks-based Healow patient portal, Healow Pay for online billing, and standard EHR workflows — with no proprietary software or AI/ML components.

EARC operates on an insurance-based professional services revenue model, accepting Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Aetna, Humana, and Tricare-Humana Military; notably, Medicaid and cash-pay are not accepted. Revenue streams include professional fees for consultations, diagnostic services (lab, ultrasound, imaging referrals), biologic infusion administration, and chronic care management billing. Patient acquisition is driven by primary care physician referrals (fax channel), organic content marketing (educational blog, The Rheum Doc platform, Dr. Subedi's published book 'The Holistic Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide'), and strong third-party verified patient reviews (Dr. Subedi 5.0/243 ratings; Dr. Gupta 4.9/261 ratings on rater8.com). The practice is entirely physician-owned with no disclosed external investors, private equity, or institutional backing.

Name

Empowered Arthritis and Rheumatology Center

Legal name

Empowered Arthritis and Rheumatology Center PLLC

Website

https://empoweredarthritis.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Empowered Arthritis and Rheumatology Center (EARC) is a physician-owned rheumatology practice in Cary, NC that diagnoses and treats arthritis and autoimmune diseases for Triangle-area patients via two rheumatologists and two physician assistants, offering on-site lab, ultrasound, and biologic infusion services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cary

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Clinical Consultation Services: Revenue from rheumatology consultations, evaluations, and follow-up appointments. New patient evaluations and established patient visits generate professional fees. Service is insurance-based with patient co-payments.
2. Diagnostic Services: In-office laboratory services (LabCorp) and joint ultrasound for diagnosis and monitoring. X-rays performed at Wake Radiology (same building). Revenue from diagnostic procedures and testing.
3. Infusion Therapy: In-office biologic infusion therapy including Simponi Aria, Benlysta, and other qualifying treatments. Revenue from infusion administration and medication management.
4. Chronic Care Management: EARC Chronic Care Management Program provides extra support between doctor visits, likely generating additional care management revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EARC provides specialized rheumatology medical care for patients with arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions. Services include initial and follow-up rheumatology consultations, diagnostic evaluation through in-office laboratory and joint ultrasound, biologic infusion therapy, joint injections, and a chronic care management program. The practice also offers telehealth appointments and patient education resources, serving patients across the Triangle area of North Carolina.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rheumatic Disease Consultation Services Medical consultations for adults with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases affecting joints, muscles, bones, and organs, including evaluation of symptoms to identify underlying rheumatic conditions.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis and Treatment Comprehensive diagnosis and long-term treatment of rheumatoid arthritis using immunosuppressive medications and DMARDs to manage symptoms and decrease risk of joint damage.
• Biologic Infusion and Injection Therapy In-office biologic and DMARD therapy administration for autoimmune conditions, including Simponi Aria, Benlysta, and other qualifying biologics, delivered in an on-site infusion suite.
• Joint Ultrasound In-office ultrasound imaging for diagnosis and ongoing monitoring of joint conditions, enabling precise assessment of inflammatory and structural changes.
• Joint Injection Therapeutic injections for joint pain relief and inflammation reduction in affected joints.
• On-Site Laboratory Services Onsite laboratory through LabCorp for blood work and diagnostic testing, providing convenient same-building testing for patients during clinic hours.
• EARC Chronic Care Management Program Extra support between doctor visits to help patients manage medications, appointments, and symptoms, designed to reduce hospital visits and improve health outcomes.
• Telehealth Appointments Virtual consultation options allowing patients to receive rheumatology care remotely from home, in addition to in-person clinic visits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Wait time for new patients is less than 4 weeks
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• America Nepal Medical Foundation (ANMF)minorOthersDr. Subedi is deeply engaged with the America Nepal Medical Foundation, championing improved healthcare access and training in underserved regions of Nepal. This is a charitable/volunteer involvement rather than a commercial partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• US Rheumatology Partners: PE-backed national platform consolidating independent rheumatology practices; represents the strategic-affiliation alternative to remaining independent and a potential acquirer or partner for EARC at scale.
• Atrium Health Rheumatology: Large regional health system with rheumatology clinics serving the broader Charlotte and central NC region; comparable services (consults, infusion, ultrasound) but at system scale and across a wider payer mix.
• UNC Health Rheumatology: UNC's academic rheumatology service line operating across Chapel Hill and the Triangle, offering infusion, complex case management, and clinical trials comparable to EARC's service mix but with institutional scale.
• Duke Rheumatology: Academic rheumatology program at Duke University serving the Triangle with multi-specialty institutional backing, research trials, and full hospital integration — competes for the same autoimmune and inflammatory arthritis patients.
• Novant Health Rheumatology: Multi-state health system with rheumatology offerings in the Winston-Salem/Charlotte corridor; broad-incumbent competitor for patients seeking specialty autoimmune care in central and western NC.

Direct peers

• WakeMed Rheumatology: Hospital-affiliated rheumatology practice where Dr. Subedi previously practiced. Competes for the same Cary/Raleigh patient base with system-level infrastructure and broader insurance acceptance (including Medicaid).
• Rheumatology Associates of North Carolina: Independent multi-physician rheumatology specialty practice in the Triangle area providing diagnosis, infusion, and chronic disease management — directly comparable specialty-only model competing for the same patient pool.
• EmergeOrtho: Large Triangle-area orthopedic and rheumatology group where Dr. Gupta previously led the Rheumatology Division. Direct competitor for rheumatology referrals across the same Cary/Raleigh/Durham geography.

Emerging players

• Joint Pain Clinics / Local Infusion Centers: Standalone infusion and injection clinics in the Triangle offering biologic administration without full rheumatology consult services — partial overlap for infusion revenue but lower-acuity competition.

Others

• LabCorp: On-site reference laboratory partner physically co-located in EARC's Cary office; not a competitor but an enabling partner for the practice's diagnostic service line and ecosystem participant in rheumatology care delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empowered-arthritis-and-rheumatology-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Empowered Arthritis and Rheumatology Center