SAHZU is the oldest medical institution providing the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic immune diseases in Zhejiang Province. As early as the 1960s, Zhejiang Province’s earliest modern immunology laboratory examinations were carried out here.

Department of Rheumatology was officially established on Nov. 1st, 2002. It has now developed into a rheumatology department with great impact, quality service, strong research in Zhejiang province. Since 2015, it has ranked among the top in east China and the first in Zhejiang Province in rheumatology and clinical immunology in Fudan listing for four consecutive years.

The department has a master's degree/doctor's degree program approved by the Office of the State Council Academic Degrees Committee, a drug clinical trial base of CFDA and a standardized residency training base. The department devotes itself to the diagnosis and treatment of common rheumatic diseases (such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, sjogren’s syndrome, myositis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, etc.), and innovative research on clinical diagnosis and treatment programs, especially the use of integrated novel and traditional medicine to improve the prognosis.

The department staff is a team full of enthusiasm and enterprising spirits. There are 17 doctors, 14 nurses and 4 workers in the department serving for over 100,000 outpatients and over 2500 inpatients every year with 41 beds.

Department chair Prof. WU Huaxiang also serves as a member of Rheumatology Society of Chinese Medical Association and the chairman of Zhejiang Rheumatology Association. Her research direction is gout and its pathogenesis.

Prof. XUE Jing, vice chair of the department, is a young member of Rheumatology Society of Chinese Medical Association. She has won many teaching awards such as "Excellent Teacher" at the national, provincial and school levels. Her research direction is scleroderma and related pulmonary interstitial disease.

Prof. YANG Xuyan, vice chair of the department, is a member of the Zhejiang Medical Association of Rheumatology.