ALS clinic offers free coordinated care

For many, East Tennessee State University’s Gary E. Shealy Memorial ALS Clinic has been a lifeline after a diagnosis of ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

Since 2017, the free clinic that is housed in ETSU’s College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences (CCRHS) has offered a multidisciplinary approach for patients to receive coordinated care from a variety of clinicians — all volunteers — in one visit, relieving them from the burden of making multiple trips to different specialists.

Dr. Faith Akin, audiologist at James H. Quillen VA Medical Center at Mountain Home campus and former member of the CCRHS Philanthropy Board, donated funds to create the clinic following the death of her husband, Gary E. Shealy, in 2016. She recalled how they, along with other patients and their families from this region, would have to drive hours to other universities to an ALS clinic.

“People are learning that we are here and what we do,” said clinic coordinator Courtney Andrews. “It’s so needed in this area. Every time we work with a new family, it’s a reminder of why we do what we do.”

ETSU students also benefit. Approximately 50 students from multiple health programs within CCRHS have volunteered under the clinical supervision of instructors.

“This was the first time I have been part of an interprofessional team, so it was amazing to see the interactions among the different medical professionals and just how beneficial that relationship can be,” said Tiffany Mikkola, a physical therapy student who under the supervision of her professor, Dr. Allie Bourassa, performs multiple tests with patients.

The faculty is looking forward to the clinic’s continued growth. Since the clinic opened, ETSU Health Internal Medicine in Johnson City has donated space for the clinic on the third Friday of each month, but plans call for relocation to the Nave Center in Elizabethton in the spring to expand its space and offerings. Additionally, the clinic, which is funded solely by community donations, has applied to be recognized as an ALS Center through the ALS Association.

“It’s something that we’re all passionate about,” said Dr. Michelle Lee, a registered dietitian and ETSU professor. “We care about each other, and that makes a big difference in caring for our patients.”