About

Dr. Yael Klionsky is a board-certified rheumatologist who recently joined the Rheumatology team at Orthopedic Physicians Alaska (OPA). She brings extensive experience in autoimmune and inflammatory disease care, with nationally recognized expertise in gout, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) from cancer immunotherapy.

Dr. Klionsky earned her medical degree from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel. She completed her internal medicine residency at Case Western Reserve University’s MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio, and her fellowship in Rheumatology at Wake Forest Baptist Health in North Carolina.

Prior to joining OPA, Dr. Klionsky served as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Rheumatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where she led specialty clinics, conducted clinical trials, and contributed to national guidelines on gout and irAE care. She continues to bring a strong commitment to evidence-based medicine, patient education, and multidisciplinary collaboration to her work in Alaska.

Dr. Klionsky is known for her thoughtful, research-informed approach and her dedication to helping patients gain clarity, comfort, and control in the face of complex autoimmune diagnoses.