The rheumatic diseases are a source of serious medical, psychological, social problems both for individual and society. This pathology is characterized by: wide prevalence, often early onset, continuously progressive course. All this is resulted in at first regular episodes of temporary disability and later to disability. Even timely and adequate therapy provide no guarantee for absence of disease progression in all patients. The rheumatologist is to know both clinical guidelines and legislative acts regulating issues of determining disability. The characteristic of The medical social expertise and all processes related to referral of patient, examination, decision-making are characterized by strict compliance with legislative acts which detail all these steps are spelled out in detail. Actually, the legislation of the Russian Federation includes orders and resolutions by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection which are significant both for employees of bureau of medical social expertise and for physicians (including rheumatologists) of ambulatory polyclinic institutions and hospitals. The awareness about these laws is detailed in professional standards for various specialties.

rheumatic pathology, rheumatologist, clinical guidelines, professional standard, medical social expertise, disability..