Joanne M. Sahhar is a Rheumatologist based at St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. She works with people who have long-term conditions that affect the joints, muscles, and the immune system, as well as issues in the lungs and blood vessels that can come with them.
In day-to-day care, Joanne looks after patients with scleroderma and systemic sclerosis. These conditions can be tricky, because they may affect more than one part of the body. Many people also have symptoms like Raynaud phenomenon, where the hands and fingers can feel numb or change colour in cold weather or stress. Joanne helps patients make sense of what is going on, and focuses on practical ways to manage symptoms over time.
Joanne also sees people with mixed connective tissue disease, localised scleroderma, and related autoimmune conditions. At times, this can include gut issues, such as watermelon stomach, which is something that can cause bleeding and needs careful monitoring. She also supports patients dealing with blood vessel problems like telangiectasia.
Another part of her work involves lung-related disease. Interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis can make breathing harder, and they often need ongoing follow-up. In some cases, pulmonary hypertension can also be part of the picture, and it can be stressful for patients and families. Joanne helps coordinate care and makes sure the right checks happen, so changes can be caught early.
She also cares for people with acute interstitial pneumonia, and for conditions where the lungs are affected in other ways. Hypertension may come up alongside these issues too, especially when managing overall health and keeping risk factors under control. And while it is not the most common reason people seek rheumatology care, she has experience in managing complex situations such as Klinefelter syndrome where other health needs may overlap.
Joanne’s approach is steady and patient-focused. She understands that people often have questions that come up again and again, especially when symptoms flare or tests show new results. She takes the time to explain things in clear, everyday language, and she works with the rest of the care team at St. Vincent’s to keep treatment plans aligned with what matters most to each person.
