ALS is a complex disease which affects the patient in a wide number of ways. As such, many different types of practitioners are involved in providing ALS-related care.
A multidisciplinary team is made up of practitioners that together have the expertise to manage the needs of an ALS patient.
ALS is rare enough that many practitioners outside of a multidisciplinary team will go their entire careers without ever having encountered an ALS patient.
Patients should seek out similar practitioners if they do not have access to a multidisciplinary clinic specializing in ALS care.
The following are the types of practitioners typically found in multidisciplinary care teams specializing in ALS.
A family physician or general practitioner is a healthcare professional that provides non-emergency care, refers patients to specialists, manages chronic illnesses, and prescribes medications.
A neurologist is a medical specialist who focuses on the nervous system and its disorders. Typically, it is a neurologist that would examine and diagnose an individual with ALS.
Further contact with a neurologist may be limited after diagnosis, unless the multidisciplinary team lacks other specialists, such as a pulmonologist.
Contact with a neurologist may also be maintained if the patient has chosen to participate in studies or receive treatments.
A nurse is a healthcare professional that focuses on maintaining the health and well-being of a patient. Nurses often play a significant role in managing the symptoms of ALS.
Some visits to a multidisciplinary clinic will not include contact with all members of the team; it is often a nurse that helps the patient decide which specialists will be visited.
An occupational therapist is an individual that assists with the regaining or maintaining of motor skills required to perform a wide range of activities, such as standing, or writing. For individuals with ALS, occupational therapists are focused on provisioning adaptive equipment.
Occupational therapists may specialize in certain aspects of their field; some will focus on mobility such as the use of wheelchairs or lifts, while others may focus on tasks such as eating or writing. An individual with ALS may work with several different occupational therapists.
A physiatrist is a specialist that specializes in the treatment of disability caused by injury or disease.
Physiatrists work with ALS patients by evaluating their strength and mobility, and prescribing treatments such as medications or adaptive equipment.
A physiotherapist is a medical professional that evaluates and assists patients that have strength or mobility issues.
Physiotherapists work with ALS patients to help maintain mobility and flexibility.
A pulmonologist (known in some regions as a respirologist) is a medical professional that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the lungs and respiratory system.
Pulmonologists work with ALS patients to manage respiratory symptoms caused by the disease. Contact with a pulmonologist is often made early in the disease course, to enable taking baseline readings of pulmonary function, establishing a working relationship with the patient, and to get far ahead of any upcoming life-threatening respiratory issues.
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is an individual that specializes in the management of communication and swallowing disorders.
Speech-language pathologists work with ALS patients when they have eating and speaking difficulties.
The following are other care providers that are not directly part of a multidisciplinary team at a clinic, but provide care in other settings, such as in the home.
Members of the multidisciplinary team may refer the patient to individuals and companies that provide these additional services.
Personal care assistants are unlicensed individuals that provide assistance within the patient's home, or in a care facility. They typically assist with tasks such as grooming, personal hygiene, light meal preparation, and so forth. More complex or invasive care needs are typically handled by nurses or physicians.
Live-in caregivers are individuals that live in the home with the patient and provide round-the-clock care. They are typically employed directly by the patient or the patient's family, though some countries have public healthcare systems that will subsidize live-in care.