Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute Earns MDA/ALS Care Center Accreditation

Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute is accredited as an MDA/ALS Care Center by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). This designation recognizes excellence in neuromuscular disease care and a commitment to providing exceptional care to patients with muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

“Receiving MDA/ALS Care Center accreditation is a reflection of our team’s unwavering dedication to treating neuromuscular diseases,” says Steven Lewis, MD, Physician in Chief, Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute, and Regional Chief, Lehigh Valley, Thomas Jefferson University Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience. “This distinction strengthens our ability to collaborate nationally, advance our expertise and continue delivering compassionate, innovative care.”

The Neuroscience Institute joins a trusted network of 150 care centers and affiliates across the U.S.  connecting patients to nationally aligned standards of care with access to advanced diagnostics, clinical trials and specialized support designed to optimize quality of life.

As Care Affiliate Director with Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, neurologist Connie Tang, MD, has a key leadership role helping to ensure patients across the region receive coordinated, comprehensive neuromuscular care.

 

“MDA Care Center accreditation reflects the trust our patients place in our team,” says Dr. Tang. “It reinforces our promise to deliver care that is comprehensive, evidence based and deeply personal. We are proud to work alongside the MDA to provide support, resources and opportunities our patients expect and deserve.”

For patients and families, MDA/ALS Care Center accreditation means care that is coordinated, specialized and connected to national resources. The designation reflects that Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute meets or exceeds national MDA standards of excellence in several critical areas, including:

• Consistently connecting patients and families with clinical resources and community programs
• Delivering coordinated care from a highly functioning team of experts with clearly defined roles and shared goals
• Providing strong clinical training opportunities to ensure the next generation of neurologists and care providers gains experience in neuromuscular disease management
• Facilitating clinical trial participation, giving patients access to leading-edge research opportunities and emerging therapies
• Offering financial counseling and support, including information about assistance programs, sliding scale arrangements and payment plan options for deductibles, coinsurance or other balances.
• Demonstrating robust institutional support, signaling the organization’s financial and operational commitment to maintaining a high-performing neuromuscular program and MDA Care Center.

The neuromuscular team, led by Neuromuscular Section Co-Directors Alissa Romano, DO, and Alison Walsh, MD, provides comprehensive, patient-centered evaluation and treatment for individuals facing a wide range of neuromuscular conditions. The team sees the accreditation as an honor and a testament to the care they provide daily.

“Caring for people with neuromuscular diseases requires collaboration and support to ensure each person receives the guidance, expertise and resources they need to navigate their care and maintain quality of life,” says Dr. Romano. “This designation strengthens our ability to provide that level of coordinated, thoughtful care to each patient.”

For 75 years, the Muscular Dystrophy Association has worked to improve outcomes for individuals and families affected by neuromuscular diseases through specialized care, early diagnosis, financial assistance, education and groundbreaking research. Today, the organization remains the nation’s largest private funder of neuromuscular disease research, second only to the federal government.

Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute shares this commitment. As a regional hub for innovation, collaboration and education, it continues to serve as a premier destination for neurological and neurosurgical care, including brain, spine and neuromuscular disorders, while advancing new knowledge that shapes the future of care.