MS Clinic Information, Referrals

The Calgary Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Clinic and OPTIMUS Program

Located at the Foothills Medical Centre, the Calgary Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Clinic is an outpatient clinic that provides specialized interdisciplinary care to people with demyelinating diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve.  Serving approximately 5000 people with MS living in southern Alberta and in the southeastern corner of British Columbia, the comprehensive and integrated services provided at our clinic include:

• diagnosis
• education and support
• disease management
• symptom management
• rehabilitation
• linkage to mental health services.

*All patients require a referral from a medical professional.*

Referrals are triaged by a clinic neurologist to assure patients are most appropriate for the MS Clinic. The Clinic does not provide primary care to people with MS. Instead, the focus of the clinic is care for those already known to have probable MS (based on neurologic assessment and brain MRI), as well as for those with related demyelinating disease. The MS Clinic does not accept referrals for suspected MS unless the clinical information and MRI are strongly suggestive of MS. Most people with non-specific neurologic symptoms or non-specific brain MRI changes do not have MS. Also, only in exceptional circumstances are people who live outside of the catchment area accepted for care in the Calgary clinic. MS Clinic neurologists who also have a general neurology practice, however, may see people who live outside our service boundaries in consultation. 

Once a person is under the care of an MS Clinic physician, and a demyelinating disease has been confirmed or is suspected, the person becomes registered in the MS Clinic and services become available. Registration is important because it assures that there is a health record to support care, and that there is a primary MS physician available for team members to consult as needed. Relapses do not always require medical assessment, but are usually managed in collaboration with family physicians or in our Relapse Clinic by a nurse practitioner.

OPTIMUS

In addition to clinical treatment, the rehabilitation needs of people with MS are incredibly important to both enhance and maintain quality of life.  To address this need, the OPTIMUS Rehabilitation Program (Out Patient Treatment In MUltiple Sclerosis) was developed. The OPTIMUS program functions as an arm of the MS Clinic.

The following services are available to MS Clinic patients:

• Clinic appointments with a neurologist, rehabilitation physician, nurse practitioner, and/or nurse who have a special interest and expertise in caring for people with MS. Often an MS nurse will be involved in care at clinic appointments. The frequency of appointments will vary according to clinical need.
• Telephone navigation is provided by MS Clinic nurses to MS Clinic patients (403-944-4253) during usual operating hours.
• The Calgary MS Clinic oversees the Southern Alberta (south of Red Deer) component of the Alberta Special Therapies Program, which co-ordinates the initiation, follow-up, and reimbursement of disease modifying medications used in relapsing MS. These therapies include: Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone, Mitoxantrone, Rebif, and Tysabri.
• Outpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation and counseling services are provided by our rehabilitation team OPTIMUS (Out Patient Treatment In MUltiple Sclerosis).
• Written handouts are available to patients on a variety of topics to supplement education received in the clinic. These are also available to family physicians and community neurologists.
• Occasionally, letters are sent to MS Clinic patients, or groups of patients, to ensure awareness of important health information. Specialized therapies for severe spasticity are available including: botulinum toxin injections, and intrathecal baclofen therapy.
• Psychiatric care is provided by a team of psychiatrists with special interests in MS.
• Coordination of complex bladder care in collaboration with gynecologists and urologists who have a special interest and expertise in neurogenic bladder (bladder dysfunction due to neurologic disease).
• Referral for management of swallowing or speech dysfunction.
• Referral for neuropsychological (cognitive) testing.
• Superior quality brain and spine imaging and interpretation provided by multidisciplinary teams within our health system.
• A paediatric MS Clinic also operates out of our clinic (about every two-three months), in collaboration with the Division of Paediatric Neurology at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Telephone consultation and support is also provided to other health care professionals, including pre-booked appointments for primary care physicians to discuss patient management with an MS clinic physician. The clinic nurses as well as our nurse practitioner also provide information about MS care and resources on a regular basis, to physicians and other health care providers.

We remind people a few weeks prior to their appointment to bring a record of all current medications, a list of their physicians’ full names, and to write down any specific questions they might have. We also ask them to bring any aids such as eyeglasses and walking aids, and to consider bringing a family member or friend.

The clinic has no capacity to manage emergencies or to see drop-in patients. Patients with medical emergencies should go to a hospital emergency department.

Patients requiring hospitalization for severe acute disease deterioration may occasionally be admitted to hospital from a regional emergency department independent of Calgary MS Clinic services. Generally, these patients are admitted under the direct care of a general neurologist or a family physician, depending on their medical needs. If necessary, an MS Clinic neurologist or rehabilitation specialist will be consulted; however, all Calgary neurologists are involved in providing inpatient care and consultation services for all disease programs.

All outpatient requests for urgent assessment must be accompanied by direct communication between a referring physician and an accepting MS Clinic physician or with the clinic nurse practitioner.

Calgary MS Clinic Location

The MS Clinic is located at Foothills Medical Centre on the main floor of the Special Services Building (SSB).

Our address is:

MS Clinic
SSB- Foothills Medical Centre
1403-29th Street NW
Calgary, AB T2N 2T9
Phone: 403-944-4253
Fax: 403-270-7162

Hours of operation

The Calgary MS Clinic runs from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday, except statutory holidays. Only scheduled patients will be seen.

Who provides care in the MS Clinic and OPTIMUS Program?

In addition to providing care for our patients in the Calgary MS Clinic, all MS Clinic physicians also provide care to hospitalized general neurology patients for about eight weeks each year. During this time they do not see outpatients in the MS Clinic. Most MS Clinic physicians also provide outpatient care to people with other neurologic diseases, often in another sub-specialty clinic or program. Our multi-disciplinary team of physicians includes those with specialized expertise in neurophthalmology, epilepsy, chronic pain, cognitive disorders, neuro-immunology, and spinal cord injury. This allows up-to-date management of these additional conditions, which often affect people with MS. Most of our physicians are involved in clinical trials research as well and some are internationally known researchers.

In addition to our team of physicians, the MS Clinic is supported by a number of other health care professionals, all dedicated to providing the best care possible for our patients.  The Clinic is incredibly fortunate to have a nurse practitioner/clinic manager (Colleen Harris), with over 20 years of MS experience.  She is a recognized international leader in MS care. In addition to this, we have knowledgeable and experienced MS nurses (K. Billesberger, S. Peters, L. Tillotson, J. Gaythorpe, B. Buckner, J. Moores, and J. Hammond) – some have been with us for almost 15 years, and most have certification in MS nursing. Staff in our rehabilitation program also have years of experience in their area of expertise and have specialized knowledge of MS. These health professionals include: occupational therapy (coordinator – J. Hinrichs and E. Gervais), physiotherapy (N. Garga), psychology (Dr. R. Joffe), social work (D. Errikson), and rehabilitation nursing (J. Lake).

Parking Services

There is parking in front of Foothills Medical Centre, but if full, parking is also available in Lot 1 (between the Foothills Medical Centre and the South Tower), and Lot 6 (next to the Faculty of Medicine on Hospital Drive). 

For more information please call Parking Services at: (403) 944-1014 or visit:
 www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/parking

 

Date Updated: 2010-06-23