June Halper Describes the Team-Based Approach Underlying the Consortium of MS Centers

The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Centers is unique in that it places physicians and other healthcare professionals on a level playing field while elevating the patient’s voice to be the most important on the team, explained June Halper, MSN, APN-C, MSCN, FAAN, chief executive officer, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers.

Transcript

What makes the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers different from other multiple sclerosis organizations?

The Consortium of MS Centers, or the CMSC, was founded in the mid-80s when we offered nothing but symptomatic management to people with MS, and it’s grown and evolved to match the growth and evolution of MS care. It’s a team approach. That makes it different. So, like the American Academy of Neurology are mainly neurologic specialists, such as physicians or physician assistants or nurses, nurse practitioners. The CMSC’s membership are neurologists, radiologists, urologists, nurse practitioners, PTs [physical therapists], OTs [occupational therapists], speech language pathologists. It’s a level playing field with mental health professionals, and everybody has a voice in managing MS. It’s the major team approach to managing a disease with complex symptoms, long-standing problems, and as I said, a level playing field. There is no hierarchy of the doctors here, the nurses are here. And, of course the most important member of the team is the patient, and the patient voice is a very loud voice at the Consortium of MS Centers.