Our Lady of the Lake opened a new multidisciplinary clinic today to treat patients diagnosed with ALS.
OLOL says the Physician Group ALS Clinic is the first of its kind in the Baton Rouge area. It’s based on a supportive care model that emphasizes highly specialized care for ALS patients while promoting social interaction among patients and caregivers in a group setting.
“It is very difficult for patients with ALS to travel, so this clinic will mean a great deal to patients who will no longer have to seek care outside of their community,” says Dr. Stephen Brierre, the clinic’s medical director, in a statement. “Our model will allow ALS patients the ease and convenience of accessing all of the specialists their care requires in a single appointment rather than having to visit different clinics at different times.”
In one visit, patients can meet with specialists ranging from neurology and respiratory therapy. And instead of patients being in one exam room with specialists rotating in and out, patients and specialists will meet in one large room with an energetic and nurturing atmosphere, Brierre says.
The clinic’s model of supportive care reflects the best practices from renowned clinics across the United States, says Annie Chatellier, an Our Lady of the Lake team member who was diagnosed with ALS in 2015.
Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS is a progressive and neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. The condition causes progressive muscle weakness, muscle wasting, weight loss, difficulty speaking or swallowing, shortness of breath or difficulty controlling emotions.
The Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group ALS Clinic will be open the second Friday of each month, starting today. Patients can be referred by their physician to the clinic for care.
