A new clinic will bring ALS care to support the unique needs of individuals living in rural North Carolina.
UNC Health Pardee has expanded its neurological services with the opening of a dedicated Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Clinic, the first multidisciplinary clinic of its kind in the region.
Pardee has long cared for patients with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The latest clinic represents a more specialized and coordinated approach by bringing focused expertise and a multidisciplinary team to support the unique needs of individuals living with the disease.
Hannah Machemehl, MD, a neuromuscular neurologist with specialized training and experience in the care and management of ALS, is leading the clinic.
“This is a monumental, joint effort to combine many services together under one roof for cohesive and comprehensive ALS care,” said Machemehl. “This model of a multidisciplinary ALS clinic is adopted internationally and has been shown to improve outcomes for patients with ALS.”
The clinic, which was made possible through a grant from the ALS Association’s Hoffman ALS Clinic Development Awards program and through collaboration with ALS United North Carolina, is designed to support families navigating the progression of ALS and represents a commitment to providing a holistic continuum of care for patients.
The clinic, for example, integrates neuromuscular neurology, nursing, respiratory therapy, speech-language pathology, nutrition, physical and occupational therapy, and social work into a single coordinated setting once a month to help improve health outcomes.
For Suzette M. LaRoche, MD, the Carol Masters Schiller Distinguished Professor of Neurology at the UNC School of Medicine, and Joel Callahan, MD, the Chief of Neurology at UNC Health Pardee, the launch of this clinic represents a significant milestone in bringing expert, patient-centered care to Western North Carolina.
“Expansion of subspecialty care at UNC regional partners provides the foundation for improving neurological care throughout the state,” said LaRoche. “We hope that this model can provide a framework for other subspecialties.”
“We started this clinic out of a crucial need to provide care in Western North Carolina,” said Callahan. “Since the clinic was established, we have already received numerous referrals from providers across the entire state.”
It’s estimated that over 130 patients with ALS in western North Carolina currently must travel more than 90 minutes for care. This comprehensive approach ensures patients receive holistic support at every stage of their condition, without the burden of traveling long distances for care.
“Opening this clinic will allow those patients to get the care they need closer to home,” said Machemehl.
The ALS Clinic is located at Pardee Neurology Associates, 2775 Hendersonville Rd., Suite 250, in Arden, North Carolina. To further strengthen support, ALS United team members will be onsite the first Wednesday of each month to provide guidance and direct services to patients and families.
For more information, call 828-694-4552, or head to the website to learn more about the clinic, its physicians, and team.
About UNC Health Pardee
UNC Health Pardee is a not-for-profit regional healthcare organization based in Henderson County and managed by UNC Health. The county-owned hospital was founded in 1953 in Hendersonville, NC, and is licensed for 222 acute care beds.
Pardee has grown from the Henderson County Hospital to become a healthcare system that serves residents across Henderson, Haywood, Transylvania, and Buncombe counties, offering a wide range of medical services, including a comprehensive primary care physician network, a cancer center, three urgent care locations, four orthopedics and sports medicine clinics and a medical staff representing 43 specialties.
For more information or to find a physician, visit pardeehospital.org.
Media contact: Kendall Daniels Rovinsky, Communications Specialist, UNC Health | UNC School of Medicine