REH19
Professional Workforce Development for Rehabilitation in MS

Thursday, June 2, 2022
Prince George's Exhibit Hall (Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center)
Suzanne M Carron, OTR , Advocacy and Healthcare Access, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Saint Louis, MO
Marissa A Barrera, MS, MPhil, MSCS, CCC-SLP, PhD , Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, Katz School for Science & Health, Yeshiva University, New York, NY
Valerie J Block, PT, DPTSc , Post-Doctoral Fellow within UCSF Physical Therapy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Salim Chahin, MD, MSCE , Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
Angelina Ciavarella, PT, DPT, NCS , Physical Therapy, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR
Rebecca Cunningham, OTD, OTR/L, MSCS , Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Carleigh Dabritz, MS OTR/L, CPAM , Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, John Hopkins, Baltimore, MD
Meredith Drake, PT, DPT, NCS , Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD
Elissa C Held Bradford, PT, PhD, NCS, MSCS , Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO
Brian Hutchinson, PT, MSCS , Multiple Sclerosis Achievement Center, Dignity Health, Sacramento, CA
Rola A Mahmoud, MD , Neurology, Saint Luke's Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute, Comprehensive MS center, Kansas City, MO
Shaina Meyer, OTR/L, MSCS , Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas, NV
Katelyn Michtich, MBA , Advocacy and Healthcare Access, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Southern California & Nevada Chapter, Los Angeles, CA
Kelli Reiling Ott, OTD, OTR/L, MSCS , Occupational Therapy Education, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
Victoria Pavelko, CCC-SLP , Virginian Rehab & Wellness Inc, Chantilly, VA
Kirsten Potter, PT, DPT, MS , Department of Physical Therapy Education, Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO
Emily Reilly, CPT , Advocacy and Healthcare Access, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Washington, DC
Alexius Sandoval, MD , Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD
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Background:

Healthcare Provider Councils of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society are a cohort of regional MS healthcare providers, including rehabilitation specialists, physicians, pharmacists, and others, who develop programs to educate their MS professional counterparts. Functional rehabilitation focuses on improving or maintaining the ability to perform successfully and safely at home and work and is a central component of comprehensive care for people with MS. Healthcare providers understand that people with MS need improved MS-focused rehabilitation services. In response, the Councils developed an educational initiative for rehabilitation professionals across the country. Concurrently, the Society met the standards as an American Occupational Therapy Association approved provider and secured continuing education credits through local state physical therapy approved providers.

Objectives:

To offer professional education programs accessible to rehabilitation providers with limited knowledge, skills, and experience in treating patients with MS and to improve care for people with MS.

Methods:

Three Councils delivered rehabilitation programs using 3 educational modalities: on demand, virtual live didactics with breakout sessions by discipline, and learning through case studies. Programs covered an overview of MS, comprehensive care, rehabilitation assessment and intervention, exercises, improving brain health, and resource information.

Results:

Over 150 rehabilitation professionals participated in one or more of the programs. For the percentage of participants who responded, 85% planned to change practice or behavior, 97% said they had improved knowledge of MS care, 90% had an improved attitude towards caring for people with MS, and 81% said they would refer a friend or colleague to the Society.

Conclusions:

Professional education for rehabilitation in MS is crucial for continued high-quality MS care and this program served as a fundamental resource for rehabilitation professionals to learn from experts in the field.

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