You are here:HomeFind a doctorSpecialtiesRheumatology Our ServicesOur Specialists The St Vincent’s Clinic Department of Rheumatology provides a full range of diagnostic and management services. Our Services The Rheumatology Department has strong clinical and research interests in a range of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMD). In St Vincent’s Clinic we work closely with multidisciplinary colleagues both in the clinic and across the Private and Public Hospital Campus, along with conducting research at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research. We are affiliated with the University of NSW and Notre Dame University of Australia (Sydney Campus). St Vincent's Hospital Rheumatology is a tertiary and quaternary referral centre as well as providing a local service. We reflect this in the private setting as well, accepting referrals from around the state in line with our specialty interests. The Chair of Rheumatology is Dr Laila Girgis, who co-ordinates activities in Rheumatology across the campus, including our research interests. Dr Girgis has strong clinical and research interests in rheumatoid arthritis, including research into personalised and precision medicine in the selection of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Other interests include the use of nailfold videocapillaroscopy in the assessment of Raynaud’s syndrome, scleroderma and myositis overlap, connective tissue diseases, interstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension. Our Rheumatologists cover the full spectrum of inflammatory RMD. Specific conditions covered: Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and spondyloarthritides for assessment and treatment with conventional and biologic disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs) Scleroderma/ myositis overlap conditions and rare rheumatic disease Connective tissue disorders including lupus, vasculitis including giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica Immune medicated inflammatory diseases and arthritis related to oncology therapy Screening for connective tissue disease, particularly in patients with interstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension Gout, particularly in heart/lung transplant patients Our Specialists Specialist Surname Tel Fax stvincentsclinic Telephone 02 8382 6730 Stvincentsclinic Fax 02 8382 6731 stvincentsclinic first name Laila stvincentsclinic surname Girgis stvincentsclinic title Doctor Dr Laila Girgis stvincentsclinic Telephone 02 8382 6733 Stvincentsclinic Fax 02 8382 6735 stvincentsclinic first name Malcolm stvincentsclinic surname Handel stvincentsclinic title Doctor Dr Malcolm Handel stvincentsclinic Telephone 02 8382 6805 Stvincentsclinic Fax 02 8382 6806 stvincentsclinic first name Ross stvincentsclinic surname Penglase stvincentsclinic title Doctor Dr Ross Penglase