Creating a Comprehensive Center of Excellence for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis in a Private Practice

Background: Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic neurological disease requiring a lifetime of coordinated care. As a large private neurology practice managing hundreds of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), we recognized the need to develop a comprehensive, patient-centered program that would coordinate care long term for the patient with MS. Literature reviews, discussions with key MS opinion leaders, networking with established MS Centers, partnering with national MS support and self-help groups, and attending the Linda Morgante MS Nurse leadership program along with the CMSC annual meeting were strategies utilized to develop the framework for the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence at Texas Neurology.

Objectives:  To create a comprehensive center of excellence that would coordinate ongoing care for the MS patient.

Methods:  Clinical staff committed to our mission to develop our MS Center of Excellence was assembled. The MS team included physicians, advanced practice providers, an MSCN, CMAs, social work, neuropsychologist, psychometrist, IV clinic RNs, a registered dietitian, and community (in-patient and out-patient) PT/OT/Speech programs. Ongoing MS team meetings were conducted to identify strategies to develop structured, layered patient education modules, provide neuropsychological screening/evaluations/treatments, provide psychosocial case management, facilitate rehabilitation service management, and provide current disease and symptom management.

Results:  Comprehensive, coordinated care will be delivered to the patient with Multiple Sclerosis utilizing a multidisciplinary health management approach. A high level of satisfaction will be recognized by the patient receiving care at the MS Center of Excellence at Texas Neurology.  Additionally, the clinical staff will report satisfaction working as a team meeting the comprehensive, coordinated needs of the patient with Multiple Sclerosis.

Conclusions: Patients with MS require comprehensive, coordinated care throughout their lifetime. The development of an MS Center of Excellence will provide a collaborative team to partner with the MS patient to achieve quality of life goals and overall wellness.