Editorial - Volume 19, Issue 6 - November 2017

I am proud to present to IJMSC readers our theme issue for 2017, focused on various aspects of the delivery of care to individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS).

MS is a lifelong disease, characterized by highly variable clinical presentations, a largely unpredictable evolution, and an increasingly complex management. Major efforts have been undertaken (some of them spearheaded by the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers [CMSC]) to develop guidelines and to define best practices for the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of MS.

Unfortunately, patients with MS face barriers and challenges as they navigate the health-care system for their neurologic and other care needs. This is illustrated in the literature review from Chiu and colleagues, and in the survey results from the United Kingdom reported by Campbell and colleagues. However, many initiatives aim at addressing some of these issues, such as the algorithm for triaging MS patients in the emergency department proposed by Abboud and colleagues, or the use of telehealth to help health-care providers in rural areas address the needs of their patients with MS, as described by Johnson and colleagues.

Consistent with a patient-centered approach, input should be sought from individuals with MS along the continuum of care. This applies when choosing between options for disease-modifying therapies as discussed by Cofield and colleagues, but also when the disease is more advanced and care is provided in a nursing home (see the article from Younus and colleagues). Finally, in our CME/CNE article for this issue, Rath and colleagues remind us that individuals with MS also seek information and support from their peers on social media platforms.

We hope that the contents of this theme issue will encourage further discussions and additional research on how to deliver optimal multidisciplinary MS care in a rapidly evolving health-care environment.