Rural Hospital Nonprofit Partner

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is the largest organization in the world dedicated to multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. There are nearly 1 million people living with MS in the United States, and most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 to 50. MS is three times more common in women than in men, and it can affect people of any race and ethnicity. Symptoms vary from person to person, and can range from numbness or tingling to walking difficulties, vision issues, bladder and bowel issues, fatigue, dizziness, pain, mood, and cognition changes and paralysis.

Founded in 1946, the Society serves as a crucial source of support to both healthcare professionals and people affected by MS. The Society is committed to ensuring that rural communities — and everyone with MS — have equitable access to quality MS care.

Services Offered by the National MS Society

In working with the NRHA, the Society builds on its 75+ years of serving the MS community. For healthcare professionals, the Society offers the latest information about how to diagnose, manage and treat MS. People affected by MS find community, help accessing healthcare and financial resources, and educational programs.

For Rural Health Professionals

• Professional education CME/CE

• Clinical practice tools

• Professional publications

• Clinical fellowships and grants

• Literature search services

• Healthcare appeals toolkits

For People Affected by MS

• The latest and most trusted information to live your best life: https://www.nationalmssociety.org

• Accessible and convenient self-service learning options so people can get information on their terms

• MS Navigator® assistance from highly skilled, compassionate professionals providing one-on-one support to tackle challenges and explore solutions

• Peer support connection programs and events

• Search engine to find local doctors & resources

The Society’s Impact

• Over 45,000 MS activists work tirelessly to influence policy for those affected by MS — including affordable access to medications and healthcare, research funding and support for families.

• The Society’s research efforts focus on accelerating cures and engaging the global community to pursue the most promising research. The Society has been behind every major breakthrough for this disease.

• The Society has launched the careers of 120 MS specialists who provide care to more than 100,000 people with MS.

• Every year more than 300 Society-organized events — made possible by 50,000 dedicated volunteers — strengthen the MS movement.

Our work with rural health professionals

In partnership with the NRHA, the Society seeks to foster early diagnosis and improve access to the most effective MS treatments. Research has shown that the earlier people with MS begin a disease modifying therapy and lifestyle modifications, the better their health outcomes.

We will connect with and engage rural community health stakeholders, including rural healthcare providers, critical access hospitals, and FQHCs, to address barriers to high quality care.

Through this partnership, the Society will:

• Develop educational opportunities to build knowledge of MS among general practitioners in underserved areas across the United States

• Work with rural health professionals to understand healthcare barriers faced by people living with MS in their areas

• Guide rural health professionals to recognize MS early, diagnose people with MS accurately, and support them through their journey

A rural hospital or clinic might be the first and only place where rural residents receive diagnosis and treatment for MS. Building awareness of MS in these locations is key to making sure all people with MS can live their best lives.

“Our patients have been receiving significant assistance through the Navigator program for many different issues. I’m very pleased with how the program is benefitting our patient population.”
—Sarah Keene, APRN, FNP

“It has been wonderful working with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in 2019 in a number of ways but specifically in implementing MS Navigator referrals for our MS patients … Through this program, our patients have been able to access a variety of resources and services which helps us provide well-rounded care to our MS patients. The staff at the MS Society seem easily accessible and eager to help patients get the services they need.”
—Tanuj Saaraswat, MD Neurologist, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist

Contact:

For more information and resources, please visit https://www.nationalmssociety.org/for-professionals

Moriah Nell
(202) 746-2955
moriah.nell@nmss.org