Interdisciplinary, Patient-centered, Comprehensive Care Necessary for MS Treatment

It’s great, but it could be even better.

That’s a synopsis of the thoughts of Aaron Boster, MD, on the current state of multiple sclerosis treatment. The certified clinical neuroimmunologist from the OhioHealth Neurological Physicians group spoke on the concept of “team sport” comprehensive MS care at the annual Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) in New Orleans this week.

Before his lecture, Boster explained how, given the rate of clinical discovery and progression in treatment in the past decade, MS patients are now in a better position than ever.

“If you have to have MS, now is the best time to have it,” Boster said.

That said, Boster advocated for interdisciplinary treatment centered on the terms of the patient. He noted how doctors will usually only interact and monitor patients in the window of infrequent 30-minute appointments.

“That is no longer appropriate,” Boster said. “We cannot have value-based expectations for patients and families.”

There is also a need for implementing preliminary standards of self-care for patients — which simply range from a healthy diet and routine exercise to avoiding tobacco products, Boster said.

But with new drug treatments, advanced neurological imaging, and applied practice learned from “functional reserve” and its effects on other neurological conditions, Boster is optimistic for the future of comprehensive MS treatment.

“We no longer settle for decreasing frequency of attack,” Boster said. “We now look at no evidence of disease activity, or even confirmed disability improvement.”

“These are all sensational things,” Boster continued. “And yet, to only care with someone with disease modification is missing the bigger picture.”