Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a comprehensive rehabilitation approach

Abstract

A clinic was established at The Mount Sinai Medical Center and staffed by a multidisciplinary team to assess the feasibility of caring for the patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) through an outpatient facility. Three hundred ALS patients were evaluated and followed in a 3-year period. Each patient was viewed as an individual, and the establishment of four clinical neurologic scales (or stages) proved helpful in tracking declining functional performance and in the establishment of suggestions for care. A rehabilitation program can be effective in helping the ALS patient maximize functional abilities while minimizing disabilities and complications at every stage of the disease. Such a program can be implemented through an outpatient clinic with regularly scheduled follow-up visits.