Innovation plays a key role in The ALS Association’s fight to develop treatments and a cure for ALS and to empower people living with the disease to live their lives to the fullest. During June and July, we are celebrating some of the key innovations helping us change the nature of ALS forever.

The ALS Association clinic network is focused on high-quality standards and multidisciplinary care. One of those clinics recently forged a particularly innovative partnership for collaborative care.

Through building relationships with the University of Iowa ALS Clinic and engaging two competing hospitals, The ALS Association Iowa Chapter established a new collaborative ALS Clinic to fulfill unmet needs in the Des Moines region. After a two-year span of hard work and creative thinking, the unique ALS Clinic officially opened in Johnston, Iowa, in May 2017.

This clinic brings together not only the University of Iowa’s core neurology team but also therapists from two hospitals and staff from The ALS Association Iowa Chapter. And, for an even greater scope of care, The Muscular Dystrophy Association is invited to participate in the clinic.

The clinic has now been open one year and has been a huge success. Patients no longer have to drive up to four hours one way to get to a clinic. And they get to see the same neurology team each time, which helps maintain consistency of care.

The new ALS clinic is filled to capacity each month, and the Iowa Chapter has also seen an increase in referrals due to the elevated involvement. The care services team from the Iowa Chapter is now able to see more people with ALS more often and provide the consistent and compassionate care provided by all ALS clinics.