Tools to Manage MS

Introduction

"Shared Management" is a new philosophy supported by the Multiple Sclerosis Association or America (MSAA). This is a concept whereby both the patient and healthcare providers work together to achieve the best possible health outcomes for the patient. To support this effort, MSAA is continuing to develop a series of tools to manage MS - helping members of the multiple sclerosis (MS) community to be proactive and take steps toward better health and an improved quality of life.

To date, MSAA has developed three programs as part its Shared-Management philosophy. These three programs are as follows:

• My MS Resource Locator - an MS-specific, online database offering targeted information and unique support services, including detailed guides
• My MS Manager™ - a mobile-phone application to track disease activity, store medical information, generate reports, and assist individuals with their treatment plan
• MSAA's S.E.A.R.C.H.™ Program - tools to help individuals with learning about the approved long-term treatments for MS, along with questions to discuss with the patient's medical team

Specific Information on the Shared-Management Programs

My MS Resource Locator

MSAA is pleased to offer My MS Resource Locator as a tool to assist individuals in managing the challenges of MS. As patient advocates, MSAA is vitally aware of the many complexities that arise in successful resource identification. My MS Resource Locator is designed to make the search for information and resources as easy as possible.

Ten categories, from education and employment, to insurance and medical resources, have been identified and researched to provide individuals with the most up-to-date information available. A companion guide accompanies each category, offering instruction to help users navigate the information and select the best resource. These include comprehensive definitions, useful descriptions, helpful tips, and suggested questions to ask when contacting the resource.

My MS Resource Locator may be directly accessed by visiting resources.mymsaa.org.

My MS Manager™

My MS Manager is MSAA's mobile-phone application, provided free of charge to individuals with MS or their care partners to use on their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android platforms. Developed in conjunction with Ringful Health, this application offers a convenient and effective tool to manage the ever-changing course of one's MS.

My MS Manager allows individuals to input and store:

• Comprehensive medical records
• The healthcare team's contact information
• Descriptions of MS flare-ups, tracking duration, frequency, and intensity
• Information on side effects and effective treatment strategies
• Important details essential to staying ahead of one's MS

Stored information may be generated in reports and shared with doctors and other members of the healthcare team via email and secure online access. Other features include an ongoing, current feed of MS-related news and links to MS resources.

My MS Manager™ may be downloaded at no charge through the Apple App Store, or by visiting mymsaa.org/mobile.

MSAA's S.E.A.R.C.H.™ Program

The first treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993. Since then, numerous effective disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS have become available, giving neurologists and patients a variety of treatment options for slowing disease activity.

Healthcare providers continue to encourage their patients to take an active, decision-making role in selecting a treatment. In doing so, an extraordinary number of factors need to be considered when choosing an appropriate MS therapy or switching from one DMT to another.

Designed as a memory aid, the S.E.A.R.C.H. acronym represents the key areas that should be considered when "searching" for the most appropriate MS treatment. S.E.A.R.C.H. stands for:

S. = Safety
E. = Effectiveness
A. = Affordability
R. = Risks
C. = Convenience
H. = Health Outcomes (overall wellness and quality of life)

MSAA has also created a S.E.A.R.C.H. "toolkit," with a variety of informational tools to help people maximize their success with learning about DMTs.

MSAA's S.E.A.R.C.H. Program and its tools may be accessed by visiting mymsaa.org/manage-your-ms/search/.