Your multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms may vary in intensity and duration and they could change over time. Although the disease process is different for each person, there are many commonalities. MS can cause a multitude of symptoms: fatigue, spasticity, imbalance, unsteady or labored gait, weakness, incoordination, anxiety, depression, cognitive and memory issues, speech and swallowing difficulties, pain, bladder dysfunction and more.
Based on the variety of symptoms you may encounter, we strive to simplify your treatment.
The benefits of a comprehensive team approach
We talk a lot about the advantages of multidisciplinary care at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center because we understand that a chronic disease like MS requires treatment from a wide range of experts. Multidisciplinary just means more than one medical specialty.
At our MS Multidisciplinary Symptom Management Clinic, we have an entire team working together to make sure you have the best treatment that's convenient as possible by combining therapies you need into as little as one visit. Some of our patients see four specialists in a single appointment.
Coordinated care is the most effective way to improve your symptoms because we’re able to develop a plan using the collective experience of different specialists. For example, if you’re struggling with pain, there may be multiple ways to minimize that pain, including physical therapy, medication, the use of assistive devices, a noninflammatory diet, psychological counseling, surgery or other treatment options. This will vary with each individual patient.
Because our multidisciplinary team works together in the same clinic, it’s easy to discuss your care, make referrals and adjust treatments based on your symptoms. Each specialist in our clinic will know what therapies have been tried, what has been effective and how different treatment choices may impact the plan of care.
From a practical perspective, this coordinated care is just simpler for you. Having multiple appointments in the same place on a single day may be easier to fit into your calendar. One clinic visit is all it takes to address a host of questions, concerns and symptoms.
We’ll connect you to the specialists you need
At this single specialty clinic, our care is intended to build on the recommendations and treatments already provided by your primary neurologist. You can meet with your nurse practitioner, as well as a clinical care coordinator, MS nurse, pharmacist, sleep medicine specialist, neuropsychologist, pain management specialist, physical, occupational or speech therapist and others as needed. There's an infusion center housed within the clinic space, so it may be possible to have an infusion and a medical appointment scheduled on the same day.
The clinic’s lead neurologist is Tirisham Gyang, MD, and the lead advanced practice provider is Kristi Epstein, APRN-CNP.
In addition, we can refer you to other experts at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, through coordinated care managed by your neurologist. This care will be coordinated with the MS Multidisciplinary Symptom Management Clinic team.
A single day of appointments in an easy-to-access location
The MS Multidisciplinary Symptom Management Clinic is offered two Fridays per month at Ohio State Martha Morehouse Outpatient Care. We’ll do our best to maximize your time by scheduling up to four specialist appointments in a single day. Part of our goal is simple: making it easy for you to get in, out and on your way — without sacrificing any of your time with our specialists.