Each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) will have at least one MS Regional Program that will serve as a source for MS specialty consultation and education.

Given the size of the population of Veterans with MS seeking treatment in VA and their distribution across the country, it is feasible to provide access to high quality subspecialty care through a hub and spoke network with designated MS Regional Programs supporting local facilities.

Announcements

May 2020

MSCoE staff and associates authored four articles for the April 2020 issue of Federal Practitioner.

Chris W. Hollen, MD, M. Mateo Paz Soldán, MD, PhD, John R. Rinker, II, MD and Rebecca I. Spain, MD, MSPH. The Future of Progressive MS Therapies. Fed Pract. 2020 Apr;37(Suppl 1):S43-S49. (full article)

Michelle H. Cameron, MD, PT, MCR, Jodie K. Haselkorn, MD, MPH and Mitchell T. Wallin, MD, MPH. The MS Centers of Excellence: A Model of Excellence in the VA. Fed Pract. 2020 Apr; 37(Suppl 1): S6–S10. (full article)

Mitchell T. Wallin, MD, MPH, Ruth Whitham, MD, Heidi Maloni, PhD, Shan Jin, PhD, Jonathan Duckart, Jodie Haselkorn, MD, MPH and William J. Culpepper, PhD. The MS Surveillance Registry: A Novel Interactive Database Within the Veterans Health Administration. Fed Pract. 2020 Apr; 37(Suppl 1): S18–S23. (full article)

Kathryn Tortorice, PharmD, BCPS and Natasha Antonovich, PharmD, BCPS. MS Medications in the VHA: Delivering Specialty, High-Cost, Pharmacy Care in a National System. Fed Pract. 2020 Apr; 37(Suppl 1): S36–S42. (full article)

April 2020

If you push a manual wheelchair or use other types of assistive technology (AT), there are unique precautions you should take related to hand washing. COVID-19 can survive on the surfaces of your wheelchair or AT which you come in frequent contact with, such as the handrims. Any virus that might be on your hands is transferred to your handrims as you push your wheelchair. Guidance on protecting yourself and your loved ones can be found within the following PDF.

March 2020

Veterans with MS, families, and MS health care professionals have questions regarding MS and COVID19. The MS Centers of Excellence are watching the situation closely and support the guidance from VA Central Office (VACO COVID19), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC COVID19), and the National MS Society (NMSS COVID19). Please follow these links for the latest information.



At this time, Veterans with MS are not known to be at increased risk of COVID-19 per se, and general precautions should be taken by all Veterans with MS, their families, and their providers. Follow your facility guidance on inpatient and outpatient procedures. We encourage the use of telehealth and/or phone call visits in place of in-person visits when possible.



The more immunosuppressive MS disease-modifying therapies (DMT) including ocrelizumab, rituximab, alemtuzumab, and cladribine may carry a higher risks regarding COVID19. The decision to start, continue, delay dosing, or stop those DMTs should be decided on a case by case basis always considering factors of age, medical comorbidities, disability, etc.

Links are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only. They do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by MSCoE of any of the products, services, or opinions of the organization. MSCoE bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.