ST. LOUIS -- The Saint Louis University ALS Clinic – a specialized service that treats patients who have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) – has been certified by The ALS Association’s (ALSA) national office as a center of excellence.

To receive certification, a facility must demonstrate the involvement of specially trained professionals from multiple healthcare disciplines in caring for ALS patients and their families. The center also must offer a team approach to patient care, conduct research and collaborate with other ALS centers.

The Saint Louis University ALS Clinic, which began serving patients in 1995, is the 22nd ALSA-certified center in the nation, and the only one in bi-state region.

“Certification by the ALS Association lets patients and their families know that this is a center where they’re going to get the care they need,” says Ghazala Hayat, M.D., director of the Saint Louis University ALS Clinic and professor of neurology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

“We feel honored to receive this prestigious recognition. We have been providing state-of-the-art care for a long time. Now we’ll be able to take our program to the next level, expanding patient care and research.”

Increased Research Options

The Saint Louis University ALS Clinic also recently joined the North East ALS consortium, which opens doors to collaborative research opportunities with other centers that treat ALS patients.

“ALS is not that common and progresses rapidly. ALS is what we call an ‘orphan disease’ because it is relatively rare. In addition, the life expectancy of an ALS patient averages between two and five years from when he or she is diagnosed,” Dr. Hayat says.

“This makes conducting research challenging because you need many patients and they need to stay in the study for some time to determine if a treatment has efficacy.”

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and results in muscle paralysis and death. The disease is more common in men than women and typically strikes people who are between 40 and 70 years old. About 5,600 U.S. residents are diagnosed with ALS each year -– and as many as 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time.

The mission of the national ALS Association certification program is to define, establish and support a national standard of care in managing ALS. Research has found that patients who attend a multidisciplinary clinic that specializes in treating ALS live an average of seven and a half months longer than those who receive medical care at a general neurological center.

Team Approach to Treatment

Saint Louis University’s ALS clinic involves a team of specially trained caregivers including a neuromuscular clinical nurse, social workers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, pulmonary care team, psychologist, spiritual care professionals, registered dietitians and neurologists. They collaborate on a treatment plan for each patient and make it easy for ALS patients and their families to receive all the medical services they need during one visit.

Saint Louis University’s ALS clinic sees patients from noon to 4 p.m., the fourth Friday of the month at the SLU Doctor’s Office Building, 3660 Vista Ave.

The ALSA St. Louis Regional Chapter and the Saint Louis University ALS Clinic will complement each other’s services. When ALS patients are unable to leave their homes to attend the SLU Clinic, chapter specialists offer 20 different in-home services, picking up where the clinic leaves off.

“We’re just thrilled that the Saint Louis University ALS Clinic is coming on board to help in the battle against ALS and trying to improve the quality of life for those affected by the disease. They’re a highly skilled group and we’re looking forward to working with them,” says William Wessels, ALSA St. Louis Regional Chapter executive director.

The ALS Association offers financial support to its certified centers and opportunities to participate in research, among other benefits.

“This certified center, the 22nd of The ALS Association, once again underscores our total commitment and dedication nationwide to quality care for ALS patients,” says Gary Leo, ALSA president and CEO. “It is through outstanding multidisciplinary centers such as the Saint Louis University ALS Clinic we can truly make an impact in the lives of our patients.”

For more information about the Saint Louis University ALS Clinic, call Lisa Stansbury, ALS clinic nurse coordinator, at 314.577.8026.