Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) announces the expansion of its Certified Duchenne Care Center Program (CDCCP) with the program’s second Adult Certified Duchenne Care Center and reportedly its first dually certified center, the clinic at Kennedy Krieger Institute.
The addition of adult clinic certification for previously certified pediatric centers, and thus the development of dually certified centers, is a natural progression of the program, according to Rachel Schrader, MS, APRN, CPNP-PC, PPMD’s Senior Vice President of Clinical Care and director of PPMD’s Certified Duchenne Care Center Program, in a media release.
“Duchenne isn’t just a pediatric disease anymore. People are living longer and require coordinated care throughout their lifespan. It’s exciting to see the adult network grow and centers like Kennedy Krieger Institute ensuring that patients receive age-appropriate care as their needs change.
“The continuity this team offers patients and families is incredibly important,” she adds. “Leveraging the pediatric CDCCs to provide care regardless of age contributes to improved outcomes, and we’re really proud of that.”
PPMD has certified 28 CDCCs capable of providing comprehensive care and services to Duchenne patients, with only one of these clinics certified for the adult services they provided. While some of these certified centers are able to offer at least some aspects of care to adults with Duchenne, Kennedy Krieger is the first center to obtain certification in both pediatric and adult care, per the release.
“The Center for Genetic Muscle Disorders at Kennedy Krieger is delighted to partner with PPMD to provide lifelong care to those with Duchenne,” says Dr Kathryn Wagner, its founding director as well as a professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
“The dual pediatric and adult CDCC certification is an indication that we are providing state-of-the-art care for all stages of the disease. I am very optimistic that several of the new therapies in development for Duchenne that we are trialing will soon become standard of care in our clinics,” she adds.
Schrader notes in the release that she is optimistic that expanding the CDCCP to include dually certified centers encourages other centers to consider seeking dual certification and refine their program to meet these requirements, standardizing adult care and increased access to care for adults living with Duchenne.
“PPMD and the CDCC Certification Committee are incredibly excited about the ability to offer this important area of care. We expect that with Kennedy Krieger being the first to tackle the new dual certification model, other centers will consider dual certification as well,” she says.
“Many centers already provide adult care, or have established relationships with adult providers within their healthcare system. Fostering these relationships to optimize care throughout the lifespan is incredibly important for adults living with Duchenne,” she adds.
[Source(s): Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, PR Newswire]
