[Obstacles encountered by patients with rheumatic disease over the course of their illness]

The journey of a patient with a chronic rheumatic disease is a long one and most will encounter numerous «obstacles» during the course of their illness. This article discusses a number of these obstacles in order to help the physician recognize them and how to limit their impact on the patient's care. It also addresses the importance of accepting a degree of uncertainty about the diagnosis, the efficacy and tolerability of treatments, and the prognosis, and finally how the physician can encourage an 'active' participation by the patient to improve their health care.