Rheumatology

For appointments call: (512) 628-1880

Welcome to the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology of Austin. Patients from the surrounding 46 counties are served by Division of Pediatric Rheumatology. At a time when less than fifty-percent of medical schools have a pediatric rheumatologist, 'Specially for Children and Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas are proud to have a two board-certified pediatric rheumatologists as their own. Ruy Carrasco, MD and Lisa Petiniot, MD come to Austin having trained in pediatric rheumatology at one of the premier rheumatology centers in the world, the William S. Rowe Division of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Children and adolescents are seen in the Pediatric Rheumatology outpatient program and also as inpatients at the Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas. The pediatric rheumatology program works closely with pediatric specialists (nephrology, allergy/immunology, orthopedics, hematology/oncology, infectious disease, neurology, surgery, physical therapy, occupational therapy) in coordinating your child's care and evaluation.

Vision

Commitment to provide the highest level of evidence-based, state-of-the-art family-centered care.

Clinical Services

The clinic provides comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, management and follow-up of rheumatic conditions including:

• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Benign nocturnal pains of childhood ("growing pains")
• Cutaneous Lupus
• Fever of Unknown Origin
• Henoch-Schönlein Purpura (HSP)
• Hypermobility Syndromes
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease associated Arthritis
• Juvenile Dermatomyositis
• Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis)
• Juvenile Polymyositis
• Kawasaki Disease
• Lyme Arthritis
• Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
• Periodic (Episodic) Fever Syndromes (Auto-Inflammatory Syndromes)
• Raynaud’s Phenomenon
• Reactive Arthritis & Post-Infectious Arthritis
• Rheumatic Fever
• Sarcoidosis
• Scleroderma  (Systemic & Limited forms)
• Spondyloarthritis
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Vasculitis
• Uveitis (Iridocyclitis): Idiopathic & Autoimmune-Related

 

Patient Referrals

Pediatric Rheumatology referrals can be made by your primary care provider or medical specialist.  If you are a patient or patient’s family member and wish to make a self-referral please obtain authorization from your insurance provider.  All documentation (patient records, lab tests, x-rays, etc.) and authorization(s) must be obtained BEFORE an appointment can be made for any patient.

Appointments

If you are calling to make an appointment please call (512) 628-1880 Option 2.  We must receive all documents BEFORE an appointment can be made. Please make certain all required patient records, list of medications (drug name, amount and frequency), rheumatology history forms (mailed or faxed to you before your visit – they are also located at bottom of this webpage), and authorization forms are received by the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology prior to the patient’s scheduled appointment.

Please take the following to your appointment:

1. Valid insurance card and driver’s license
2. Referral/Authorization – provided by your healthcare provider (physician)
3. Updated immunization record
4. Rheumatology history forms – Please complete these before your scheduled appointment. These forms are mailed or faxed to you prior to your appointment.

Telephone Calls, Lab Results and Prescription Refills

Telephone calls are taken during business hours Monday through Thursday 8AM to 4PM and Friday 8AM to 12PM.  Urgent messages left after 3PM Monday through Thursday or after 11AM on Friday may not be returned untill the next business day.  All other calls will be returned in order of medical priority.  Most calls are answered the same day.

If you have a medical emergency please call 911.  For urgent matters after hours (weekends, weeknights, holidays) please contact your primary care provider first or call Medlink to have the rheumatologist on call contacted. Please note that scheduling appointments and medication refills are to be done during business hours only.

Lab, x-ray, etc. results

If you are calling for lab results please call (512) 628-1880 Option 4.  Due to our patient volume please allow the office staff and the lab sufficient time to process your labs/studies.  Most results are available within 5 – 7 business days.  Now and then specialized labs are ordered which require at least 14 business days.  Laboratory, x-ray, etc results will not be left on answering machines or similar devices. Results will not be faxed to patients. Formal requests to our medical records office must be made to obtain copies of lab or radiology results.

Prescriptions:

Please call your pharmacy first for all medication refills.  A laboratory evaluation or a clinic visit may be required prior to authorizing a prescription refill.  Please note refill authorizations may take up to 2 business days to process.  Medication refills will not be called in evenings or weekends.

Research:

• Clinical trials in juvenile arthritis
• Safety monitoring

 

Education for Residents and Medical Students

Patient Forms  Please print and fill out the appropriate patient information form below:

New Patient Form - English
New Patient Form - Spanish
Follow Up Form - English
Follow Up Form - Spanish

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