What kind of care does the Myelodysplasia Program provide?
The Spina Bifida Clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic by design. Patients see the orthopedic surgeon, the neurosurgeon, the urologist, the Complex Care Service pediatrician…they’ll see on some days a nephrologist, even an endocrinologist if it comes up. So we try to maximize the amount of care they get at one time in hopes of just optimizing their care. They’re complex kids; they need a lot of different providers coming together and being on the same page, so that’s the thought behind the multidisciplinary clinic.
Carlos Estrada, MD, Myelodysplasia Program, Department of Urology
In our clinic, there’s Orthopedic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Urology, and General Pediatrics. In addition, we have support from social workers and physical therapists and then nursing. Urology is a huge piece: there’s lots of bladder management needed for these kids. In our clinic, they see a series of specialists, usually one at a time, although when it’s appropriate they might see more than one specialist at the same time. Specialists are often talking together in our clinic room, coordinating care that way, and then I’m there to smooth things over.
Rebecca Sherlock, PNP, Clinical Coordinator, Myelodysplasia Program