The Rheumatology Department in Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan is a regional service and serves the population of Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Meath.
Referrals are received from GP’s and hospital consultants. Rheumatology is the medical speciality caring for patients with musculoskeletal disease. Patients are seen in the Outpatient Department at regular clinics, they also offer consultations to inpatients on consultant request.
The Rheumatology Team includes Consultant Rheumatologists, Registrars, Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs), Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS), staff nurses, Senior Occupational Therapist (OT), Senior Physiotherapist (PT) and Clinical Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist (Cl. Spec. PT (MSK)).
The Rheumatology Department is based in the Outpatient Department in Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, across from the main hospital building.
Clinics usually run Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm, and there is access for blood tests on a pre-booked appointment system.
Contact
Information guide about the service provided by the Rheumatology Nurses on the Patient Helpline Service
Physio and Occupational Therapy
Tel: 046 9078548 (leave a voice message on the answerphone)
Rheumatology, COVID 19 and the Vaccines
For the most up to date information on the Coronavirus and the national roll-out of COVID 19 vaccines please visit www2.hse.ie/coronavirus
We have all had to adapt and change since March 2020, with Cocooning, Social distancing and Working from Home.
Key concepts in Rheumatology
T2T - Treat to Target
T2T is a medical strategy that sets remission or low disease activity as the goal. Remission is defined as the absence of signs and symptoms of significant inflammatory disease activity.
Patient-Centred Care
Patient-Centred Care in rheumatology encourages patients to be involved with their treatment. Patients with chronic conditions should be actively involved in the management of their disease – strategies include patient education and shared decision-making. Research has shown that this method has a positive effect on treatment outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.
Self Management
Self Management empowers people to gain self-confidence in their ability to control their symptoms, helps people evaluate how their health problems affect their lives and teaches them skills in day to day management of symptoms.
High Tech Medications
If you are on High Tech Medications and require a repeat prescription from the Rheumatology team please see below:
The Prescription will be completed on the High Tech Hub for your pharmacist to view.
Conditions
Resources to help with Self Management
Self-management is what a person does every day to help manage their long-term health condition. This may include making choices to improve your health such as becoming more active, eating more healthily and stopping smoking. It may also include more complex tasks such as taking medication, monitoring symptoms, coping with the emotional aspects of the condition and communicating with healthcare professionals. Self-management of your symptoms can improve your quality of life and reduce the impact of your condition on your health.
If your main Symptom is
Resources for Patients and Clinicians
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapists help patients participate effectively in the activities of everyday life.
Occupational therapists work with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement. (World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 2012)
Ask for a referral to Occupational Therapy if you are having difficulty with managing any work, home or leisure tasks. They can help with supporting and educating you about managing symptoms and every-day tasks, they can help with hand therapy including splints and exercises, and also advise regarding self-management.
Physiotherapy
- Physiotherapy is a health profession concerned with helping to restore wellness to people following injury, pain or disability
- Physiotherapists are responsible for developing, maintaining or restoring movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan using evidence based practice
- Physiotherapists empower patients to manage their own condition. They maximise movement potential through promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation
