Multiple Sclerosis Expert, Dr. Shapiro Visits MidAmerica Neuroscience
Posted on Mon, Oct 17, 2011 @ 04:33 PM
Multiple Sclerosis experts from across the county regularly stop by the Multiple Sclerosis Center at MidAmerica Neuroscience Institute to visit, take a tour and exchange ideas about new advancements in the treatment of MS. Last week we were fortunate to have Randy Shapiro, MD stop by for a quick lunch as he traveled through the Kansas City area on a speaking circuit. Dr. Shapiro and Dr. Vernon Rowe, the founder of MidAmerica Neuroscience Institute are long time friends and warriors in the battle against multiple sclerosis.
Having developed one of the first MS Centers in the U.S. and with over 35 years of treating multiple sclerosis, Dr. Shapiro has seen many changes in the care and treatment of patients. His personal journey with MS began because his mother suffered from the disease. He recalled that when he turned fourteen, she could no longer walk, so he became her driver.
The History of Multiple Sclerosis Care
The MS Center that Dr. Shapiro developed was renamed The Schapiro Center for Multiple Sclerosis and grew to six divisions including physical therapy, occupational therapy, clinical trials, imaging, cognitive therapy and immunology. His MS Center took a multidisciplinary approach to treating multiple sclerosis because as a teaching physician at the University of Minnesota, that was the model of care he was teaching. The patients typically did well in this environment until managed care came along, increasing overhead tremendously while capping reimbursements. Dr. Shapiro, who serves on multiple MS boards and is one of the few physicians to ever serve on the National Board of the MS Society, believes that even MedPac, who advises Congress about Medicare and Medicaid policy, is becoming wary of hospital systems becoming too powerful.
Current Multiple Sclerosis Care
Dr. Shapiro applauds the shift of a majority of health care from hospital-centered care to outpatient centers where care is delivered more efficiently and cost effectively. MS care has finally been able to follow that trend since disease modifying drugs like Rebif, Copaxone, Betaseron, Avonex, Tysabri, and Gilenya have become available. He and Dr. Rowe both agreed that the current movement of care back into the hospitals by means of the hospitals buying a majority of outpatient and primary care practices is concerning. Dr. Shapiro lamented that the current reimbursement environment makes running a viable MS Center extremely difficult without strong philanthropic support. Like most MS experts that tour MidAmerica Neuroscience Institute, Dr. Shapiro gave high praise for the model of MS care and the structure of operations.
The Future of Multiple Sclerosis Care
Both physicians agreed that the future will require significantly more neurologists specializing in multiple sclerosis. As more new drugs are approved general neurologists will be overwhelmed managing the complex nature of MS without a broad experience and background of a large MS patient base.
Always the advocate and still serving on many multiple sclerosis boards, Dr. Shapiro is encouraged at the resources being devoted to research. Conversely, he feels the balance has shifted too far towards research at the expense of patient assistance programs to help he current needs of those suffering with physical, emotional and financial difficulties of MS. After treating thousands of MS patients over several decades, Dr. Shapiro and Dr. Rowe have never lost sight of the fact that when these societies and support groups do the little things like build a ramp or repair an air conditioning unit; those tangible efforts are seen and felt, and the financial support for research and developing a cure will follow those good works.