1. History
Founded in 1999, the Department of Rheumatology was the first department in Shenzhen dedicated to the TCM-based treatment and research of rheumatic diseases.
2. Honors & Accreditations
The department holds multiple prestigious designations and has played a leading role in establishing key academic alliances:
Government & Institutional Designations:
Key TCM Specialty of Guangdong Province
Shenzhen TCM Characteristic Specialty
First Batch of Popular Science Studios, Chinese Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Best Clinical Specialty, Chinese TCM Hospitals (AiLiPi Rankings)
Advanced Collective in Science, Education and Health Management, Shenzhen Health Commission
Alliances & Societies Led or Co-Led:
Initiator, Anti-Gout Alliance, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area TCM Clinical Inheritance and Innovation Research Center
Initiator, Rheumatology Professional Committee, Shenzhen Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Initiator, Gout Professional Committee, Shenzhen Society of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine
Initiator, Rheumatism Chronic Disease Health Management Professional Committee, Shenzhen TCM Health Service Association
Academic Leadership Roles:
Vice-Chairman Unit, Rheumatology Branch, Chinese Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Vice-Chairman Unit, Rheumatism Prevention and Treatment Innovation Community
3. Leadership
Prof. Zhang Jianyong — Academic Leader and Administrative Director (Guangdong Province Famous TCM Doctor), with outstanding contributions to departmental development
Prof. Xie Jingjing — Department Head (since 2024)
4. Clinical Scope & Research
Guided by academic research, the department has established a "3+X" sub-specialty framework with designated dominant diseases.
Common Conditions:
Gout
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sjögren's syndrome
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Ankylosing spondylitis
Osteoarthritis
Postpartum body pain
Complex and Severe Conditions:
Systemic sclerosis
Vasculitis
Connective tissue disease-related interstitial pneumonia
Macrophage activation syndrome
5. Clinical Operations & Capacity
Facilities:
2 inpatient wards
62 beds
Medical Team (33 members):
11 Doctors (PhD holders)
1 Doctoral Supervisor
3 Master's Supervisors
Annual Clinical Volume:
Outpatient visits: 50,000+
Specialty Clinics:
Gout Clinic
Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinic
Spondyloarthropathy Clinic
Connective Tissue Disease Clinic
Academic Collaboration: Under Shenzhen's "Three Famous" Medical Project (Famous Doctors, Hospitals, and Clinics), the department has twice partnered with Prof. Jiang Quan's Rheumatology Team from Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, significantly elevating the specialty's clinical standards.
6. Treatment Philosophy & Modalities
Core Principle: "TCM whenever possible; TCM first, Western medicine second; TCM as the foundation with Western medicine as reference; integration of Chinese and Western medicine" (能中不西，先中后西，衷中参西，中西融合)
The department fully leverages TCM's advantages in characteristic therapies and toxicity reduction with efficacy enhancement.
Proprietary TCM Preparations (Provincial-Level):
Hushen Tongfengtai Granules (护肾痛风泰颗粒, Kidney-Protecting Gout-Relieving Granules)
Ciling Huazhuo Granules (慈苓化浊颗粒, Turbidity-Resolving Granules)
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Jinling Jiangzhuo Granules (金苓降浊颗粒, Turbidity-Lowering Granules)
Consensus Prescriptions: 10+ formulations
TCM Characteristic Therapies:
Cupping therapy
Du-meridian (Governor Vessel) moxibustion
Gua sha (scraping therapy)
Advanced Diagnostics & Procedures:
Musculoskeletal ultrasound
Nail fold microcirculation detection
Acupotomoscopy (minimally invasive needle-knife arthroscopy)
Intraorbital electroacupuncture
Modified labial gland biopsy
Clinical Guidelines: As a core participating unit, the department has contributed to the formulation of 12 national TCM or integrated TCM-Western medicine rheumatology diagnosis and treatment guidelines.
7. Research, Innovation & Patient Engagement
Research Achievements:
6 Provincial/Ministerial-Level Science and Technology Progress Awards
30+ National, Provincial, and Municipal research projects
260+ Published papers in SCI-indexed and core Chinese journals
Patient-Centered Initiatives:
Shenzhen Gout Love Club — integrating health education into chronic disease management
"Jieyu Fengshi" (解语风湿, Rheumatology Explained) — video channels on WeChat and Douyin (TikTok)
Recognition: Awarded the title of "National Excellent TCM Health Club"
8. Vision & Mission
Moving forward, the department will continue to integrate medical care, education, research, prevention, health maintenance, rehabilitation, and translational medicine into a unified framework. Committed to serving rheumatic disease patients nationwide, we strive to set the benchmark for health education and chronic disease management excellence.
