ALS Program

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease or ALS, is a progressive disease in which nerves in the brain and spinal cord degenerate over time. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their deterioration. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost.

Symptoms of ALS vary from person to person and can progress at different rates. The onset is typically gradual. It can start in the muscles resulting in decreasing function in the arms and legs, or in the mouth and throat, hindering functions like speaking and swallowing.

Diagnosing ALS may be difficult as there is not just one specific test that can be used to determine the diagnosis. Instead, there are multitudes of tests and procedures that can be done to slowly eliminate similar neurodegenerative diseases. These tests may include: Electromyography (EMG), muscle biopsy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), genetic tests, Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV), spinal tap, blood and urine collection, and neurological examinations.

What to expect when you attend the clinics at HSS

Each time you visit one of our clinics, you will have the chance to meet with the members of our team, as needed. Generally, you will return to see the team once every three months or as necessary based on the medical team’s assessment of your needs.

During your visit, each healthcare team member is available to see you to work with you and your family/friends to develop a care plan to best manage your symptoms and individual needs. Because the visits can be long and may include many different specialists in one day, we recommend that you come to clinic with a trusted family member, friend, or caregiver. Having another person with you can help you keep track of all the information discussed during your visit.

After each visit, the clinic coordinator will work with you and/or your family to manage the services, equipment, and/or testing that the team recommended. Between your visits, the clinic team members are available to answer questions and to provide any support you may need.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I schedule an appointment?
Contact the clinic coordinator at 646-797-8917 to schedule an appointment at one of our ALS & Neuromuscular Treatment clinics.

What should I do to prepare for my clinic appointment?
Bring any test results from other facilities and/or related medical reports from your doctor(s). Bring a list of questions you have for the different specialists you will see. Bring a notepad, pen and a trusted family member/friend/caregiver to help you keep track of everything that is discussed during your visit. Bring a snack, as it can be a long visit!

What can I expect at my clinic appointment?
Clinic visits usually last 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours. You will sit in one room as each of our healthcare specialists visit with you to answer your questions, conduct evaluations, and develop an individualized care plan. You may leave with prescriptions and recommendations for future care.

How do I manage the different recommendations that were made during my visit?
After your visit, our administrative staff will contact you to schedule any lab work and/or tests that were ordered. The clinic coordinator will order all medical equipment, home care services, and outside evaluations that were recommended, unless otherwise discussed during your visit. You can fill any written prescriptions at your local pharmacy. If you need assistance or have any questions, contact the office at 646-797-8917.

Am I eligible to participate in research studies?
If you would like to take part in one of our studies, let the medical team know you are interested during your visit or contact the research team by calling, 646.797.8592.

How much will a clinic visit cost me?
The cost of your visit depends on your insurance coverage. For further information, please contact the office.

How can I find out more information about your services?
For more information, call us at 646.797.8917.

Additional Reading

You can find more information on ALS at the following sites.

• ALS Association
• Muscular Dystrophy Association: ALS Divisions
• National Institution of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• PatientsLikeMe
• ALS Therapy Development Institute

Our neuromuscular disease programs embrace a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and management of ALS and other neuromuscular diseases. This includes a multidisciplinary team of experienced health care professionals who work with patients who come to our clinic.

The healthcare specialists who make up our clinical team include:

We are committed to the cooperative implementation, timely completion, analysis, and reporting of clinical trials and other research studies aimed at improving patient care and understanding of the disease processes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), myasthenia gravis (MG) and many other neurological conditions.

We are currently updating our current studies. Please contact us for more information.

Providing quality patient care and experience is a priority across all departments at HSS. In early 2017, the Department of Neurology began implementing new technology to make care more accessible and convenient through a web-based telemedicine portal that allows HSS physicians to conduct virtual appointments with patients.

HSS Virtual Care works just like FaceTime or a video chat on Facebook, but in a HIPAA-compliant network that ensures the safety and security of patient information. Patients can make a formal appointment, but instead of coming to HSS to see a physician, the appointment is conducted virtually.

For those who find it difficult to come to HSS because of weakness, virtual appointments enables doctors to address urgent and non-urgent needs without waiting for an in-person visit. In the perspective of the healthcare professional, they are able to obtain an interactive history and form a thorough analysis of language and movement. With Virtual Care, physicians can now see the quizzical look on a patient’s face or observe their body language while speaking with them.

The patients who have used the technology have been extremely pleased with the results. They feel as though they are having a personal visit with their treatment team in their own home. It is convenient and easy, especially for those who live far away from HSS or have difficulty traveling into Manhattan.

It is now routine to give patients the option to book virtual follow-up appointments to discuss lab results, care management or answer questions. This benefits those who travel from far away to see HSS neurology experts and specialists for their diagnostic expertise.

Virtual Care puts HSS at the forefront of a national shift toward providing patients with high-quality, convenient virtual options in addition to the traditional ways that we deliver care. Recent studies have shown about 40% of follow-up care typically provided by neurologists can be conducted remotely through video-based telehealth. Telemedicine for neurology has made it possible to offer convenient, routine follow-ups for all patients. 95% of neurology patients who begin receiving remote follow-up care want to continue it.

(Adapted from an article in the April 2017 issue of Neuromuscular News.)