PPMD Designates Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare a Certified Duchenne Care Center

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), a nonprofit working to end Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), has recognized Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare Neuromuscular Clinic as a Certified Duchenne Care Center.

The Certified Duchenne Care Center Program was launched by PPMD in March 2014 as part of its Transforming Duchenne Care Initiative. The certification program helps ensure centers maintain the highest standards in clinical and sub-specialty services, including prompt adaptation to new evidence-based knowledge, high-quality research outcomes, and compliance with standards established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Gillette Children’s, which has served families in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area for 120 years, is the 16th center to receive the certification. Dr. Randall Richardson currently leads the Neuromuscular Clinic.

Gillette Children’s strengths include their pediatric program, their transition program, and an adult program, as well as their specialized services in neuromuscular disorders.

The center offers adaptive recreation and personal training services, assistive technology devices, aquatic therapy, augmentative communication devices, orthotics, customized seating and manual and powered mobility equipment, medication, mobility training, occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech and language therapy.

Gillette Children’s shares PPMD’s belief that with innovative medical and surgical services, improved technology, and compassionate health professionals, children with conditions like DMD can thrive and live happier, healthier lives.

“This serves not just as a wonderful recognition of the work that Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare neuromuscular team has done, but also offers us the opportunity for continuing performance enhancement,” Richardson said in a press release. “We are great, but this relationship allows us the opportunity to be even better.”

“Gillette has amassed an impressive team capable of providing comprehensive Duchenne care across the lifespan. We are excited to add this new center, with their expertise, compassion and enthusiasm, to our growing network of Certified Duchenne Care Centers,” added Kathi Kinnett, MSN, CNP, PPMD’s senior vice president of clinical care and co-director of the Transforming Duchenne Care Initiative.

“When PPMD launched our certification program in 2014, we had no idea that the Duchenne community would respond so positively. Families have come to rely on our certification as an indication that these centers are the best of the best. We will continue to certify more centers across the country throughout 2017, recognizing teams of physicians for their leadership in Duchenne care, which in turn will enable families to make the best choice for the care of their child,” Kinnett said.