Dermatology & Plastic Surgery Institute Outcomes

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to everyone in 2020. At the Mellen Center, we quickly adapted to provide our patients with the uninterrupted care necessary for a chronic disease like multiple sclerosis, while also maximizing safety. To accomplish this, we rapidly shifted from a mostly in-person care model to a distance health/virtual visit format, as visualized below. Although in-person care has largely resumed, we anticipate that distance health will remain an important part of our services, allowing patients convenience and flexibility in how their care is delivered.

Despite the ability to deliver many health care services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, some aspects of multiple sclerosis care require in-person interactions. This is especially true of patients who rely on receiving monoclonal antibody infusions on a timely basis to manage their disease. Safely maintaining this in-person procedure at the Mellen Center was a priority during the pandemic as it directly impacts the health and safety of our patients. The Mellen Center successfully maintained continuity of care for patients receiving infusion therapies, with very little change in the number of individuals who had delayed doses between 2019 and 2020.

Despite the ability to deliver many health care services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, some aspects of multiple sclerosis care require in-person interactions. This is especially true of patients who rely on receiving monoclonal antibody infusions on a timely basis to manage their disease. Safely maintaining this in-person procedure at the Mellen Center was a priority during the pandemic as it directly impacts the health and safety of our patients. The Mellen Center successfully maintained continuity of care for patients receiving infusion therapies with little change in average time between doses from 2019 to 2020. Natalizumab: Recommended time between infusions is 28 days.

Despite the ability to deliver many health care services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, some aspects of multiple sclerosis care require in-person interactions. This is especially true of patients who rely on receiving monoclonal antibody infusions on a timely basis to manage their disease. Safely maintaining this in-person procedure at the Mellen Center was a priority during the pandemic as it directly impacts the health and safety of our patients. The Mellen Center successfully maintained continuity of care for patients receiving infusion therapies, with very little change in the number of individuals who had delayed doses between 2019 and 2020.

Despite the ability to deliver many health care services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, some aspects of multiple sclerosis care require in-person interactions. This is especially true of patients who rely on receiving monoclonal antibody infusions on a timely basis to manage their disease. Safely maintaining this in-person procedure at the Mellen Center was a priority during the pandemic as it directly impacts the health and safety of our patients. The Mellen Center successfully maintained continuity of care for patients receiving infusion therapies with little change in average time between doses from 2019 to 2020. B-Cell therapies (ocrelizumab, rituximab): Recommended time between infusions: 6 months/180 days.