About SveReFo

About SveReFo

Swedish Reuma Forum – SVEREFO

Background:

The society was founded on May 1, 1989 in order to create a forum for the professionals who work with rheumatic diseases in Sweden. The working title of the society was “ Multidisciplinary Reumaforum”, but at our first annual meeting, the name was changed to Swedish Reumaforum (SVEREFO). There are similar societies in other Nordic countries as well as in Great Britain, USA and Australia.

Björn Svensson, Rheumatologist in Helsingborg, Sweden, was the first to take the initiative to form a society in Sweden. In December of 1988, he asked Ylva Lindroth, Rheumatologist in Malmö, and Anna Engström-Laurent, Rheumatologist in Falun to investigate the interest among other disciplines that work in Rheumatology.

An exploratory meeting was held in Malmö where an outline of the purpose and scope of the society was made. Representatives from the Societies of Rheumatology Nurses, Physical Therapists, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists and the Swedish Rheumatology Society then made motions to their respective society board to appoint two representatives each to SVEREFO.