The sixty-three year old has been serving as chief physician at this clinic for the past fifteen years. The Rheumatology Clinic belonged to the Buch Clinic until the reunification and, until 2001, it was situated on the site of the former hospital built by Ludwig Hoffmann; at present, it is temporarily located in a low building on the site at Karower Straße 11.
As always, this dedicated physician is involved in attending to more than „just“ her patients. When the reunification began in 1989, it was clear to her that the hospital scene in East Germany would undergo a drastic change. Her specialist field, collagen diseases, quickly prompted her to undertake lecture tours of what used to be West Germany, she made lots of contacts, and chaired discussions. Many of those interested in this field cast their eyes on the „small but outstanding“ rheumatology clinic on the famous Berlin-Buch site. „Our clinic was also known to rheumatologists in the West. One of the reasons for this was that we had maintained comprehensive records on our rheumatic patients, rather like the cancer register“, she explained. Finally, in 1993, there was an change in sponsorship and the Immanuel Krankenhaus GmbH took over the Rheumatology Clinic. Today, Prof. Gromnica-Ihle is still proud that this was achieved without any of the staff losing their jobs.
She has always been full of energy. As the daughter of the owner of a butcher’s shop in a small village in the Erz Mountains she was unable to obtain a place at university because she was not the child of a worker or an agricultural laborer. So, she got on her clapped out moped and made the long trip to Jena to talk to the rector of the university there. Although he was unable to help, he was so impressed with her that he eventually helped her get a place to study medicine in Berlin.
 After completing her studies, Gromnica-Ihle worked for many years at the Charité as an intern in hematology and rheumatology. Among her many interests, she specialized in disorders in blood clotting and was called on as an expert by other hospital departments to help them with problems involving blood clotting or with hemophiliacs. She takes care of lots of patients, in former times throughout the GDR, suffering from collagen diseases.
In 1988, when she was offered the chance of becoming chief physician of the Buch Rheumatology Clinic, she did not hesitate for long. „I was very keen to do something on my own“, she said. As chief physician, she has a staff of 80 and is in overall control of the Berlin-Buch Rheumatology Clinic.
Under her leadership, following reunification, the clinic has developed into a center of excellence in rheumatic diseases recognized throughout Germany. Patients come from all parts of the country for out-patient rheumatology consultations which Prof. Gromnica-Ihle conducts herself. Her specialist interest is lupus erythematosis, an autoimmune condition, which particularly affects young women and can lead to problems during pregnancy. „The best reward for my efforts is when the patients show that they have confidence in me ; this is not easy when they suffer from chronic diseases.“ This is why she also takes part in patient self-help groups.
She was the first and, for a long time, the only female chairperson of the German Society of Rheumatology, the scientific society of German rheumatologists ; she attends congresses, and is active in lots of committees and professional societies, she gives lectures at the Charité and, above all, plays an active role in the training and continuing education of doctors. She is the driving force behind the Buch Rheumatological Diseases meetings, which are held annually, and which bring together interested members of the public and patients. This leaves hardly any freetime for the woman who is also a wife, mother of two adult children and a proud grandmother. For her, a normal sunday involves writing up patient records or preparing scientific publications and lectures.
One has the impression that, as far as Prof. Gromnica-Ihle is concerned, the Rheumatology Clinic, is her life ; she directs it with joy and commitment, but without any sense that this is a routine task. She is also highly regarded by her staff. She is very demanding, but is always ready to give them her full support. One female member of staff summed it up in the following way : „In spite of all her duties and responsibilities she remains a human being.“
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