Muscular Dystrophy Association Adds 13 New Care Centers in US
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Thirteen new hospitals and health institutions have been added to the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s MDA Care Center Network, expanding the network’s reach across the United States.
These additions, which comprise more than 150 care centers, include 10 new grant awards as well as three care affiliates that have been promoted to MDA Care Center status.
The care centers — leading U.S. health clinics — specialize in neuromuscular disease diagnosis, treatment, and management. There is at least one clinic in each state. Each center is staffed by a team of specialists in muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and related neuromuscular disorders.
The organization’s care affiliate program enhances the network’s reach, enabling it to form connections with and support more patients and their families, and helping to make sure patients have access to specialized care, clinical studies, scientific research, treatments, and education.
“I had the pleasure of meeting the care center directors who attended in person at the recent 2022 MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference in Nashville,” Donald S. Wood, PhD, MDA president and CEO, said in a press release.
“Since MDA was founded in 1950, life expectancy and quality of life has vastly improved for individuals with neuromuscular diseases. Children and adults are living longer and growing stronger and leading fulfilling, productive lives as a result. This is due in large part to the best-in-class, comprehensive multidisciplinary care provided to families from a wide variety of healthcare specialists at MDA care centers,” Wood said.
The MDA Care Center Network’s new members are:
- Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Idaho Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation in Boise, Idaho
- University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center, Duchenne program in Worcester, Massachusetts
- University of Utah, pediatric neurology in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Loma Linda University, pediatric in Loma Linda, California
- Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts
- NYU Langone Health, pediatric in New York, New York
- AdventHealth Orlando in Orlando, Florida
- Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas
- Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas in Austin, Texas
- Rapides Regional Medical Center (affiliate) in Alexandria, Louisiana
- Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital (affiliate) in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Children’s Hospital of Michigan (affiliate) in Detroit, Michigan
“We welcome the new group of MDA care center directors to our network, leading their medical teams consisting of healthcare professionals dedicated to guiding individuals and families through the diagnostic process and — once a diagnosis of a neuromuscular disease is confirmed — helping them take charge by understanding the options for medical treatment and daily management,” said Barry Byrne, MD, PhD, MDA’s chief medical advisor.
“The members of MDA’s multidisciplinary care teams include neurologists, cardiologists, physical therapists, nutritionists, genetic counselors, nurses, orthopedists, physiatrists, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and speech language therapists,” Byrne added. “The MDA Care Center Network also utilizes telehealth, which is critical for our community, especially throughout the pandemic.”
Go here to see the locations and contacts of the existing MDA Care Centers.
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