Back to Search
Start Over
International consensus on quality standards for brain health-focused care in multiple sclerosis.
- Source :
-
Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) [Mult Scler] 2019 Nov; Vol. 25 (13), pp. 1809-1818. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Nov 01. - Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Background: Time matters in multiple sclerosis (MS). Irreversible neural damage and cell loss occur from disease onset. The MS community has endorsed a management strategy of prompt diagnosis, timely intervention and regular proactive monitoring of treatment effectiveness and disease activity to improve outcomes in people with MS.<br />Objectives: We sought to develop internationally applicable quality standards for timely, brain health-focused MS care.<br />Methods: A panel of MS specialist neurologists participated in an iterative, online, modified Delphi process to define 'core', 'achievable' and 'aspirational' time frames reflecting minimum, good and high care standards, respectively. A multidisciplinary Reviewing Group (MS nurses, people with MS, allied healthcare professionals) provided insights ensuring recommendations reflected perspectives from multiple stakeholders.<br />Results: Twenty-one MS neurologists from 19 countries reached consensus on most core (25/27), achievable (25/27) and aspirational (22/27) time frames at the end of five rounds. Agreed standards cover six aspects of the care pathway: symptom onset, referral and diagnosis, treatment decisions, lifestyle, disease monitoring and managing new symptoms.<br />Conclusion: These quality standards for core, achievable and aspirational care provide MS teams with a three-level framework for service evaluation, benchmarking and improvement. They have the potential to produce a profound change in the care of people with MS.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1477-0970
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 13
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 30381987
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1177/1352458518809326