MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center has been recognized as a Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Care Center by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Partners in MS Care Program. This prestigious designation marks the hospital as the sole recipient in Prince George’s County, highlighting its comprehensive approach and high-level expertise in managing MS.
Dr. Chile Ahaghotu, the vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer at MedStar Southern Maryland, expressed pride in the recognition, attributing it to the hospital’s dedicated team of neurological specialists and their commitment to providing cutting-edge care. “This significant recognition is a testament to the world-class care patients with MS receive at MedStar Southern Maryland,” Ahaghotu noted.
The designation is awarded to healthcare facilities that demonstrate exceptional knowledge and experience in treating MS. Eligible centers must offer a full spectrum of medical, nursing, mental health, rehabilitation, and social services, and maintain a robust collaborative relationship with the National MS Society.
Further enhancing its capabilities, MedStar Southern Maryland’s neurology department has recently expanded its clinical trials program in partnership with the MedStar Health Research Institute. This new initiative offers patients access to emerging treatments and research, previously only available through referrals to the program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
For those living with MS, advancements in treatment options and research offer new hope. At MedStar Southern Maryland, patients benefit from coordinated care involving specialists from the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Center at MedStar Georgetown. This collaborative approach ensures that patients receive the most progressive treatments available.
The hospital also provides advanced infusion therapies that significantly improve the quality of life for MS patients. These therapies reduce the frequency of treatment from daily or weekly doses to just one or two sessions per year, helping prevent disease progression effectively.
Dr. Stephen Michaels, president of MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center and senior vice president of MedStar Health, reflected on the impact of this designation. “This is a major milestone that marks the hospital’s vast capabilities to slow disease progression while offering a wide array of MS treatments,” Michaels said, emphasizing the dedicated care provided to MS patients.
This designation not only underscores MedStar Southern Maryland’s status as a leader in MS care but also enhances its role in the broader medical community by providing access to innovative treatments and supporting ongoing research aimed at combating this challenging disease.