Dr. Joseph Z. Forstot, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.R.

Expert Publications

• Serologic studies in patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
• Sjögren's syndrome and polymyositis or dermatomyositis.

Clinical Trials

• Evaluation of the Long Term Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Two Dosing Regimens of Olokizumab (OKZ), in Subjects With Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Who Previously Completed 24 Weeks of Blinded Treatment in One of the Core Studies - CREDO 1, 2 or 3.
• Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of Two Dosing Regimens of Olokizumab (OKZ), Compared to Placebo, in Subjects With Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Who Are Taking an Existing Medication Called a Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha Inhibitor But Have Active Disease
• Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of Two Dosing Regimens of Olokizumab (OKZ), Compared to Placebo and Adalimumab, in Subjects With Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Who Are Taking Methotrexate But Have Active Disease

Media Releases

Get to know Rheumatologist Dr. Joseph Z. Forstot, who serves patients in Florida.

In practice since 1980, Dr. Forstot is a board-certified rheumatologist who, in addition to his affiliation with Boca Raton Regional Hospital, sees patients at Rheumatology Associates of South Florida with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida.

Rheumatology Associates of South Florida has been providing quality care to its patients for more than 30 years. Specializing in non-operative management of orthopedic problems, autoimmune diseases, and osteoporosis, the staff treat a diverse range of medical conditions. They strive to create a unique treatment plan tailored to each individual, with management strategies including lifestyle modification, medication prescriptions, joint and bursa injections, physical therapy orders, and imaging studies.

Growing up in Long Island, Dr. Forstot moved to Buffalo to obtain his undergraduate degree at S.U.N.Y, where he graduated Magna Cumme Laude. He then received his medical degree from the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine in 1975, where he also completed his internship and residency training. He did his clinical and research fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Colorado Health Science Center in Denver, Colorado.  

A Fellow of the American College of Physician and a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology, the doctor is a member of the Florida Medical Society, the Florida Society of Rheumatology, and Palm Beach County Medical Society. He is a founding member of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and the Director of the Osteoporosis Diagnostic and Treatment Center of South Florida.  

Additionally, he is board-certified in both rheumatology and internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine, a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world.

Having been involved in clinical research since 1978, Dr. Forstot is the Director and Primary Investigator for the RASF-Clinical Research Center. In 1986, he co-founded the Free Arthritis Clinic of South Palm Beach County, servicing the indigent patient population of South Palm Beach and North Broward counties.  He is the Director of the Clinic and maintains an active volunteer role.

Among his academic appointments, he is an Affiliate Clinical Professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Clinical Coordinator for the Rheumatology-Musculoskeletal Section for second-year medical students, and a Clinical Preceptor for the students. He also sits on the admissions and credentials committees at the medical school. 

Rheumatology is a branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Physicians who have undergone formal training in rheumatology are called rheumatologists. Rheumatologists treat arthritis, autoimmune diseases, pain disorders affecting joints, and osteoporosis. There are more than 200 types of these diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, back pain, osteoporosis, and tendinitis.

In addition to his many medical leadership roles, Dr. Forstot is Co-Founder and Director of the Boca Hoops youth basketball league, which was established in 1989.  He also helped establish High-Five Basketball, the only recreational basketball program in the state of Florida for children and young adults with disabilities. He is an ardent Heat fan and has had season tickets since the inception of the team in 1988.

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