The ALS Association, along with its Keith Worthington Chapter, welcomed UNMC, UNMC Physicians and The Nebraska Medical Center into the nonprofit organization’s Certified Treatment Center of Excellence Program on Tuesday evening.
National President and CEO Jane Gilbert made the announcement at an event in Omaha that also honored Tom Tonniges, M.D., a pediatrician and UNMC alumnus who was diagnosed with ALS in 2012. A fund created by the Tonniges family — the Dr. Thomas F. Tonniges Fund for Advancement of ALS Clinical Care and Research — will support clinical care, research and special projects at the Med Center’s ALS Clinic.
About ALS
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. There is currently no cure for the disease.
A Nebraska native, Gilbert presented a certification plaque to Matthew Rizzo, M.D., the Reynolds Professor and chairman of the UNMC Department of neurological sciences. The certification establishes the med center as meeting the highest levels of established national standards of care in the management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
J. Americo Fernandes, M.D., associate professor of Neurological Sciences, directs the med center’s ALS program, which includes physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nurses and clinic staff employed by UNMC Physicians and The Nebraska Medical Center.
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From left, Elspeth McKeon, RN case manager; Sue Erickson, administrator, department of neurological sciences; Pariwat Thaisetthawatkul, M.D.; Matthew Rizzo, M.D., chair of neurological sciences; Americo Fernandes, M.D., director of ALS program; Jane Gilbert, ALS Association president and CEO; Stacy Reichmuth, occupational therapist; Jennifer McKune, physical therapist; Carol Gaebler, speech language pathologist, Munroe-Meyer Institute; and Shannon Todd, care services specialist, ALS Association. |
“The care that people receive here is a model for other parts of the country, and I’m proud that we are able to recognize the med center for its outstanding multidisciplinary approach to treating people with this devastating disease,” said Colleen Wachter, executive director of the Keith Worthington Chapter.
The ALS Association offers the Certified Treatment Center of Excellence designation for those institutions that meet the rigorous eligibility criteria, which includes:
- Diversity of professional expertise in ALS.
- Access to coordinated, multidisciplinary care.
- A strong, ongoing relationship with the local ALS Association chapter.
- Evidence of active participation in ALS research.
This designation assures people living with ALS and families that these centers offer the highest level of evidence-based, quality care and services.
Research has shown that multidisciplinary care, or the practice of having physicians and other health care professionals collaborate to provide the most comprehensive treatment plan for patients, helps people with ALS have better quality of life and actually prolongs life in most cases.