Dr. Ivayla Stancheva

Dr. Ivayla Stancheva is a senior consultant rheumatologist at University Hospital Sv. Ivan Rilski in Sofia — one of Bulgaria's most prestigious academic medical centres and the largest teaching hospital affiliated with the Medical University of Sofia. With 20 years of rheumatology practice, Dr. Stancheva is among Bulgaria's leading experts in inflammatory arthritis and connective tissue diseases, with particular expertise in the initiation and monitoring of biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying drugs (bDMARDs and tsDMARDs).

University Hospital Sv. Ivan Rilski operates one of Bulgaria's largest and most active rheumatology units, providing both inpatient and outpatient services for a broad spectrum of autoimmune musculoskeletal disorders. Dr. Stancheva leads complex case consultations and manages a large outpatient biologics clinic, where she oversees patients receiving anti-TNF agents, IL-6 inhibitors, and JAK inhibitors under the Bulgarian National Health Fund therapeutic protocols.

Bulgaria has emerged as a medical tourism destination in the European Union for patients from neighbouring Balkan countries and further afield, drawn by lower treatment costs and accessible specialist expertise. Dr. Stancheva consults in Bulgarian, English, and Russian, and is accessible to international patients seeking rheumatological assessment or second opinions in Sofia.

Dr. Stancheva completed her medical degree (MD) at the Medical University of Sofia, one of Bulgaria's oldest and most respected medical institutions. She completed her residency training in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology at University Hospital Sv. Ivan Rilski, followed by a PhD thesis focusing on biomarkers of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

She undertook research visits at EULAR-affiliated rheumatology centres in Germany and the Netherlands, deepening her expertise in musculoskeletal ultrasound and biologics therapy management. She is a certified Specialist in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology by the Bulgarian Medical Union and holds active EULAR membership. She regularly participates in EULAR congress education programmes and has completed EULAR-accredited training in musculoskeletal ultrasound.

Dr. Stancheva's primary clinical expertise is in the management of inflammatory arthritis — rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and axial spondyloarthritis (ankylosing spondylitis). She assesses disease activity using validated composite scores (DAS28, CDAI, ASDAS) and applies treat-to-target strategies aiming for remission or low disease activity.

She has extensive experience initiating and monitoring all major classes of biologic therapy including TNF inhibitors (adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab), IL-6 inhibitors (tocilizumab), anti-IL-17 agents (secukinumab, ixekizumab), and JAK inhibitors (baricitinib, upadacitinib). For connective tissue diseases, she manages SLE, Sjogren's syndrome, and systemic sclerosis with appropriate immunosuppressive and symptomatic strategies. She performs musculoskeletal ultrasound for joint and tendon assessment and performs intraarticular injections.

University Hospital Sv. Ivan Rilski is accessible to international patients seeking rheumatological consultation in Sofia. Dr. Stancheva consults in Bulgarian, English, and Russian, making her accessible to patients from across the Balkans, former Soviet states, and Western Europe. Bulgaria's membership in the European Union and Schengen Area simplifies travel for EU citizens.

Sofia is served by multiple airlines with direct connections to London, Frankfurt, Vienna, and major Eastern European cities. Private consultation appointments can typically be arranged within a few days for international patients. Dr. Stancheva offers video consultations for initial case review, enabling international patients to assess their diagnosis and treatment options before deciding whether to travel to Sofia for in-person assessment or procedures.

Dr. Stancheva has received the Bulgarian Society of Rheumatology award for contributions to the national biologics therapy program and is a named author on Bulgarian national guidelines for biologic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. She has presented at EULAR European Congress of Rheumatology and Balkan Congress of Rheumatology on inflammatory arthritis outcomes in Bulgarian patients.

She serves on the editorial board of the Bulgarian Rheumatology Journal and is a PhD supervisor at the Medical University of Sofia. She has received the Medical University of Sofia Excellence in Research award for her doctoral and post-doctoral research contributions.