FAMILY ARTHRITIS CENTER

Dr. Howard M. Busch, DO

Dr. Howard M. Busch founded the Family Arthritis Center in 1987 and has built a tremendous following through his diagnostic skills and compassionate treatment of his patients. In addition, he is the Founder and President of AARA and holds 5 patents. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York, followed by his medical studies at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine at the New York Institute of Technology. He performed his internship at Metropolitan Hospital in Philadelphia, followed by a Medical Residency at Norwalk Hospital, an affiliate of Yale University. He was chosen to be Chief Medical Resident and an instructor at Yale. His Rheumatology Fellowship was completed at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark, New Jersey, where he was awarded the Northeast Regional Fellow Award for Research. He is the author of several articles and was selected to be the Chief Fellow. Dr. Busch is a noted national speaker and is a member of the Speaker’s Bureau for numerous pharmaceutical companies. He has been an investigator for numerous clinical trials. His wife Stacey is an active participant in the practice. They have three beautiful daughters and six grandchildren.  In his free time, Dr. Busch is an avid swimmer.

Dr. Ekaterina Simakova

Dr. Simakova has joined Family Arthritis Center and will be seeing patients primarily at our Jupiter office location. She is a third generation Rheumatologist and is passionate about bones and joints and healing others. She obtained her Medical Degree with distinction from Volgograd State Medical University, in Volgograd, Russia, where she also completed her Internal Medicine Residency. She completed the fellowship in Rheumatology and obtained her PhD in Rheumatology at the Scientific Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology in Volgograd, Russia.

Dr. Simakova moved to the United States in 2014 and passed her USMLE exams. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Danbury Hospital, an affiliate of Yale University, and became Internal Medicine Board Certified in 2019. Her Rheumatology Fellowship was completed at the Suny Downstate Medical Center/King’s County Hospital, Brooklyn, NY, where she was chosen Chief Rheumatology Fellow.

She is married and has a son. In her prior life, she was a champion ballroom dancer. Now, she and her family welcome the Florida weather, the evergreen nature that surrounds us and the lizards.

Dr. Christine Savage

Dr. Christine Savage has joined our practice. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in physiology and neurobiology from the University of Maryland at College Park, followed by her MD degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She performed her internship and residency training at University of Miami/Jackson memorial Hospital, followed by her fellowship certification in rheumatology at Duke University Medical Center.

Dr. Savage was an assistant professor at University of Miami Medical Center, Division of Internal Medicine in the Rheumatology Department. She has published books and monographs and has juried and refereed journal articles and exhibitions. She possesses an extensive research background with Integral Rheumatology and Immunology Specialists, the US Department of Defense and National Institutes of Health. Her special interests in rheumatology are systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma. She has two children and a dog, and she loves to play volleyball.

Katherine Torres – Physician Assistant

Katherine Torres, Physician Assistant, is a graduate of Barry University in Miami Florida with a Masters of Clinical Medical Science. Native of New York that has been in Florida for 20+ years. She has a strong medical background in radiology and emergency medicine. She joined our team in March of 2022. Currently She resides in Port Saint Lucie and for hobbies she paints, reads novels, and enjoys outdoor activities such as bike rides and hiking. Her and her husband do love to travel and try new foods. Katherine Is a pet mom to three wonderful dogs and a lizard. Katherine Currently practices out of our Jupiter office and is bilingual offering English and Spanish services.

Family Arthritis Center

Family Arthritis Center physicians have been caring for the families of Palm Beach County since July of 1987. We have convenient offices located in the Western Communities near Palms West Hospital, as well as Jupiter, near Jupiter Medical Center.
Rheumatology is a medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of certain autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
All of our physicians are board certified in their specialties and experienced diagnosticians who can work with you to optimize your health and well-being. We are very fortunate to have nurse practitioners available who are certified and specially trained in the field of rheumatology.

Nurse Practitioners

Mary Jane Strandberg is a proud grandma of three and the mother of four. MJ relocated from the Northeast and is a budding artist in her spare time and loves to cook, especially Italian food. She has been a nurse for over 30 years and with the practice for eight years and has a strong background in E.R. and I.C.U. Medicine. MJ loves her transition to Rheumatology as she enjoys learning new things and loves getting to know patients and their families and working with them to develop the best health possible. MJ loves to travel and spend time with her family.

Rachel Busch Feuer has been with the practice since the beginning. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology and later nursing, before pursuing her master’s degree in nursing at the University of Miami. She has worked in Internal Medicine and Pain Management prior to finding her passion in Rheumatology. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners & Florida Society of Rheumatology. Her desire to educate others has translated into her being the founder and chair of the AARA APP Committee. She is married, has a bird and a dog. She enjoys snowboarding, martial arts and singing in her spare time.

Roslyn Fox has joined our center crossing over from internal medicine. After seventeen years as an RN, she advanced her career by pursuing her master’s. She received her bachelor and master’s degree in nursing from Nova Southern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She previously worked in Massachusetts as an RN before relocating to Florida in 2007. She recently married and has two dogs and two parrots. She loves to travel and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Rachel J. Smith is originally from Saginaw, Michigan, where she began her patient care journey in 2008, as a nursing assistant. In 2011 she moved to North Carolina and became a Registered Nurse. While working as a RN, she went on to become a family nurse practitioner in 2017 with honors from Winston Salem State University, North Carolina. She previously worked in Norfolk, Virginia before relocating to Florida with her family in 2021.

Since becoming a Nurse Practitioner, Rachel has developed a strong clinical background in Family Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine and Wound Care. She has found the transition to Rheumatology to be an ideal application of her experience as well as an opportunity to gain more knowledge to provide the best outcomes for her patients.

When she is not working, Rachel enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons. She also loves animals, she has a 10 year old Australian Sheppard Lab mix, named Buddy. She enjoys reading, baking and kayaking.

Rheumatology Services

Rheumatology is a medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of certain autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

To better serve you, our offices operate by appointment only. If medically necessary, we will make every effort to see patients the same day. Please call 561-798-8184 to schedule an appointment in the Western Communities and 561-747-1987 to schedule an appointment in Jupiter.

Dr. Busch is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology

Patient Login

Family Arthritis Center Locations

LOXAHATCHEE OFFICE

Palms West Medical Mall 5
12977 Southern Blvd., Suite 200
Loxahatchee, Fl 33470
Phone: 561-798-8184
Fax: 561-793-2588

JUPITER OFFICE

1025 Military Trail, Ste 209
Jupiter, Florida 33458
Phone: 561-747-1987
Fax: 561-747-1313

Website:
www.familyarthritiscenter.com
www.scienceandresearchinstitute.com

The Science and Research Institute, Inc.

The Science and Research Institute, Inc. is conveniently located on site at the Family Arthritis Center where we have been performing clinical trials since 2003. Please call our Research Department at 561-747-1987 to see if you may be eligible to participate. Those participating not only have an opportunity to help the medical community but may be able to receive new medications for your condition not yet available to the general community. Research volunteers may also be eligible to receive lab testing, X-Rays, ECG’s, and doctor visits all at no cost, as well as compensation for time and travel expenses.

Science and Research Institute Information

Insurance:

The Family Arthritis Center participates with Medicare and most other insurance carriers. If authorization is necessary due to the demands of your insurance company, patients are encouraged to obtain these signed forms or authorizations prior to your visit to our office.

We Currently Have Contracts With The Following Insurance Plans:

AARP MEDICARE COMPLETE PPO/HMO, AETNA, AVMED, BCBS, CAREPLUS, CHAMPVA, CIGNA, COVENTRY, HUMANA,

MEDICARE, MEDICARE RAILROAD, MOLINA, NALC, PLUMBER AND PIPE FITTER, SHEET METAL WOKER, SIMPLY HEALTH MEDICARE, SUNSHINE, UMR, UNITED HEALTH CARE, UHC NEIGHBORHOOD, UHC OXFORD, UHC CARE PREFERRED PARTNERS, TRICARE.

WE DO ACCEPT MOST SECONDARY INSURANCE PLANS.

If you have any questions about your coverage, feel free to call our office to discuss your personal situation and coverage at 561-747-1987. We will make every effort to work with you  regarding finances.

Helpful links:

Lupus Foundation
Spondylitis Association Of America
Sjrogren’s Syndrome Foundation
Scleroderma Foundation

Patient Forms

Please bring the following completed forms to your new patient appointment.

Click here for Patient Forms

OR Pre-Register Online 

Please call your respective office to obtain access: Loxahatchee 561-798-8184 or Jupiter 561-747-1987.