Schedule Appointment at ALS Center

Making a diagnosis of ALS is a process that takes time. When you make an appointment for your visit our nurse will request certain medical records for review. In most cases, the neurologist will order follow-up tests before a diagnosis can be made. While you might not receive a diagnosis during your first visit you can expect to have a discussion that includes diagnostic possibilities.

You will meet with multiple members of our team, so you should expect to spend several hours with us.

When patients visit the ALS Center they can expect to be seen by a neurologist who is very familiar with the diagnosis and care of patients with ALS. They will be meeting Amber Malcolm, an expert in the delivery of ALS patient care and ALS clinical trials. They will also be seen by a physical therapist who will assist with mobility needs to help patients maintain independent function for as long as possible. Should they have any wheelchair needs, they will see an expert on seating and mobility products. Patients may also meet with a dietician, orthotist, research team member, speech therapist, or social worker. Additionally, we partner closely with the sleep center at Washington University, which provides expert respiratory support to help patients initiate non-invasive ventilation to assist with night breathing. Overall, patients should expect ongoing and careful assessments of their needs by experts in their field with a deep commitment and passion for helping patients with problems associated with ALS.

Our neuromuscular clinic is held every Thursday and includes patients with a variety of neuromuscular conditions including ALS.  All new patients will start in this clinic and be assigned a neuromuscular physician who will confirm diagnosis and initiate standard of care treatment.  Thursday visits may include pulmonary testing, electrodiagnostic testing (EMG) when available, and assessments by other team members such as physical therapy, nursing, or social work.

Our ALS multi-disciplinary clinic is held the first and third Tuesday morning of each month. This is for patients who have already been confirmed to have ALS in our Thursday neuromuscular clinic and who can benefit from seeing many disciplines in one visit. Visits will take approximately 4 hours total, and patients remain in a designated room while staff members rotate through the clinic. Patients will see a neuromuscular specialist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, and speech therapist. This clinic also includes pulmonary testing as needed and may include visits from nursing, research, a dietician, social worker, and others.