Your Trusted Rheumatology Experts
With years of experience, we are here to provide the best arthritis and autoimmune care
Our team
Mirela Titianu, MD
Board Certified in Internal Medicine
Board Certified in Obesity Medicine
Board Certified in Lifestyle Medicine
Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM) combines evidence-based treatments to help patients with arthritis and autoimmune diseases achieve sustainable weight loss and improved health outcomes.
Darren Joy, RPh
is our dedicated Practice Manager and Medical Assistant, bringing warmth and efficiency to every aspect of patient care.
With her exceptional organizational skills and genuine care for patients, she ensures our practice runs smoothly while maintaining the personalized attention that sets us apart.
Dr. Diana Girnita’s Books
The Complete Gout Management and Nutrition Guide: Empowering Strategies for Better Health
Rheumatoid Arthritis Journal: Pain Assessment Diary to Track Mood, Pain, Symptoms, Exercise, Sleep and Much More
Dr. Girnita’s Story From Scientist to World-Renowned Physician and Pioneer
“Here, You Are a Person—Not a Disease”
I understand what it means to need urgent medical care. At age 10, I lay in a hospital bed in Romania with severe liver disease. Those long hours and many hospital admissions shaped my future, calling me to medicine. I became the first physician and first university graduate in my Romanian family.
My journey from that small town in Romania to America seems almost unbelievable sometimes. With borrowed airfare from a friend and $2,000 from my parents selling a parcel of land, I arrived at Harvard University as a Postdoctoral fellow. That money barely covered a month’s rent and food, but my determination knew no bounds.
After cardiovascular research at Harvard, I conducted award-winning research at the University of Pittsburgh’s Starzl Transplantation Institute. Yet something was missing—my patients. This led me back to clinical practice, completing my internal medicine residency and rheumatology fellowship at the University of Cincinnati.
But practicing rheumatology in traditional settings troubled me deeply. I saw patients waiting six months for appointments, driving hundreds of miles to see a specialist, and lying awake at night worried about medical bills. I watched insurance companies disrupt carefully planned treatments, and billing concerns overshadowed patient care. Crisis after crisis could have been avoided if doctors could simply be directly connected with their patients and avoid all the interferences placed by insurance companies and huge, convoluted medical systems.
This was not the medicine I dreamed of practicing.
So, in early 2020, I founded Rheumatologist OnCall®, a direct-pay medical practice. Here, you communicate directly with me—your physician. I am your doctor. There are no gatekeepers, medical assistants, or insurance companies standing between us. Don’t be surprised when I answer your calls myself, call you in the evening to follow up, or send a holiday greeting card to your mailbox.
Through in-person and telehealth visits across our 8-state service area, I provide the care you need when you need it. We charge fair prices with no surprise bills—just transparent, affordable care, including low-cost imaging and labs. You decide whether to use your healthcare insurance for medical expenses like tests and medications or pay a fair price.
My commitment to your care extends beyond the traditional medical model. I’ve completed Stanford’s Nutrition Science program and studied meditation with Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, the renowned founder of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine. Every day, I help patients blend medical treatment with nutrition, mindfulness, and physical activity to minimize the effects of their diagnosis.
This approach has resonated with millions. My YouTube channel now has over 12 million views, and my work has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Medscape, and Kevin MD. I collaborate with the American College of Rheumatology and the National Arthritis Foundation, always staying at the forefront of rheumatology care to bring you the latest treatments and insights.
Time is of the essence with autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Waiting months for treatment isn’t just inconvenient—it can cause permanent organ damage. That’s why I created this practice: to get you from diagnosis to treatment to feeling better as quickly as possible. I’ve always been fascinated by the connections among our minds, our bodies, our immune systems, and how we fuel ourselves. Approaching medical care this way isn’t just innovative—it’s the most natural choice of all.
This is the kind of medicine I dreamed of practicing when I was that little girl in a Romanian hospital bed. Today, I’m proud to offer it to you.
Let me help you begin your journey to better health. Here, you’ll find more than just medical care—you’ll find a partner who sees you as a person, not a disease.
Dr. Titianu's Story From personal loss to patient victory
Life has a way of guiding us toward our true purpose. Growing up in Romania, I dreamed of becoming a doctor after losing my father in an accident. That early loss taught me the profound impact healthcare providers can have on people’s lives through medical treatment, compassion, and understanding.
After graduating from medical school, my husband and I boldly decided to immigrate to Canada in 2005. Starting in a new country meant facing numerous challenges – learning a new language, adapting to a different culture, and navigating the complex process of rebuilding my medical career. Working as a paramedic in Canada kept me connected to what I loved most – caring for patients – while I prepared for my U.S. medical licensing exams.
My determination paid off when I was accepted into the Internal Medicine Residency program at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. As I treated patients, I noticed a troubling pattern that would ultimately shape my career: the devastating cycle of obesity, inflammation, and chronic disease. I saw patients struggling with not just excess weight but a cascade of related health issues – diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, heart failure, and, particularly concerning to me, debilitating joint pain and autoimmune conditions.
Traditional medicine’s approach frustrated me deeply. Treating these conditions separately wasn’t working. Patients would improve temporarily, only to return with worsening symptoms. I realized that obesity isn’t just about weight – it’s literally fueling the fire of inflammation in the body, increasing the risk of autoimmune diseases by up to 55% and making existing conditions harder to treat.
This realization drove me to expand my expertise. I became board-certified in both Obesity Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, completed my nutrition coaching certification with NASM, and dove deep into understanding the complex relationships between weight, inflammation, and chronic disease. What I learned transformed my approach to patient care: obesity is not simply a matter of diet and exercise – it’s a complex chronic disease that requires comprehensive, specialized medical care.
This understanding led to an exciting collaboration with Dr. Diana Girnita, founder of Rheumatologist OnCall®. Together, we created the OASIS Program, recognizing that obesity and autoimmune conditions are deeply interconnected through inflammation. By combining my expertise in obesity medicine with Dr. Girnita’s pioneering work in rheumatology and autoimmune diseases, we developed a revolutionary approach to treating these complex conditions.
The OASIS Program is different because it’s built on the understanding that excess weight isn’t just a cosmetic issue – it’s an active contributor to inflammation throughout the body. Through personalized medical care, nutrition counseling, and lifestyle modifications, we help patients not only manage their weight but also reduce inflammation, improve joint health, and better control autoimmune conditions.
What makes me most proud isn’t just the physical transformations I witness but seeing patients reclaim their health and confidence. When someone tells me they’ve reduced their medication needs, experienced less pain, or finally feel in control of their health journey – that’s when I know we’re making a real difference.
Today, I’m more passionate than ever about helping patients break free from the obesity-inflammation cycle. Whether you’re struggling with weight-related joint pain, autoimmune conditions, or other inflammatory issues, I want you to know that there’s hope. Through the OASIS Program, we offer more than just weight loss – we provide a comprehensive pathway to better health, combining medical expertise with genuine compassion and understanding.
This is the kind of medicine I dreamed of practicing – care that treats the whole person, addresses root causes, and transforms lives.
Let me help you begin your journey to better health. Together, we can work to control inflammation, manage your weight, and help you achieve the active, healthy life you deserve.
Dr. Mirela Titianu, MD