Program Notes
By Susan Wells Courtney
Launching a Collaborative Path Forward in MS Care
Established in Arizona and led by MSAA’s Chief Medical Officer Barry Hendin, MD, in partnership with the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, the AZ MS Forum is launching a dedicated co-learning space where clinicians, payers (insurance companies), and policymakers work together to address barriers to high-quality multiple sclerosis (MS) care. The Forum’s inaugural phase included a symposium, in-person and web-based meetings, and a survey to identify evolving challenges and opportunities across the care continuum.
Through this process, stakeholders identified and prioritized leading themes. Stakeholders included lived experience advocates (people living with MS) who have backgrounds in nursing and insurance, MS experts in care, MS clinicians, health insurance system leaders, medical and employment organization leadership, holistic health clinicians, community organizations, pharmacists, and research leaders at the University of Arizona.
Themes identified included economic and policy barriers such as prior authorization delays and funding constraints; underutilized telehealth driven by reimbursement limitations; workforce shortages contributing to delayed diagnosis and follow-up; fragmented care pathways (delays in seeing the appropriate specialists) and navigation gaps (gaps in care coordination as patients move between providers); and broader system disconnects, including unmet mental health needs and inequities affecting underserved communities.
Building on these insights, the next phase of the AZ MS Forum will focus on developing an action-oriented roadmap, which will translate ideas cultivated through the findings into practical, collaborative interventions to strengthen coordination, access, and outcomes for people living with MS.
In Memoriam: Andrew Woo, MD, PhD
MSAA and the MS community are mourning the loss of a truly wonderful neurologist and friend, Dr. Andrew Woo, who passed away on November 14, 2025. Dr. Woo initially assisted MSAA as a speaker at several educational programs for people living with MS as well as programs specifically for healthcare professionals. He was elected to MSAA’s Board of Directors and served in that role for many years, playing a crucial role in providing valuable guidance for MSAA’s most notable programs.
Dr. Woo was in private practice at Santa Monica Neurological Consultants in Santa Monica, California, and served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In addition to his awards for teaching, he has been named on several occasions as one of America’s Top Physicians by the Consumer Research Council of America and other healthcare-evaluating organizations.
Dr. Woo was not only extremely knowledgeable on a wealth of topics, but was also uniquely kind and generous. His passion for life, sense of humor, and incredible spirit will live on in everyone fortunate enough to have known him. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Dr. Woo’s family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all of us at MSAA.
MSAA’s Helpline
If you are looking for emotional support, answers to your questions, or vital resources, our Client Services Specialists are available and can be reached through our Helpline: (800) 532-7667, extension 154 or via email at MSquestions@mymsaa.org.
Helpline hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern.
To reach a Spanish-speaking Client Services Specialist, please call (800) 532-7667, extension 131. Para comunicarse con un Especialista de Servicios al Cliente que habla español, llame al (800) 532-7667, extensión 131 o envíe un correo electrónico a MSquestions@mymsaa.org.
El horario de la línea de ayuda es de lunes a viernes, de 8:30 AM a 8:00 PM, hora del este.
MSAA’s Podcasts, Educational Videos, and Webinars
At MSAA, we know that providing valuable information on a wide range of topics – from diagnosis and treatments to healthy lifestyles and family relationships – is critical to the health and well-being of the entire MS community. MSAA provides this information through easy-to-access podcast episodes, videos, as well as live and recorded webinars featuring healthcare professionals and individuals living with MS.
During MS Awareness Month in March, we featured a two-part podcast series, “Beyond the Chart: Strengthening Self-Advocacy Through Communication.” These podcast episodes focus on communication between individuals living with MS and healthcare providers to support a shared decision-making process. The series may be accessed by going to MyMSAA.org/podcasts.
In addition, MSAA’s educational video, “Advocacy Starts with You,” explores how individuals living with MS can advocate for themselves within their families, communities, and healthcare teams. This video, and our full library of educational videos and webinars, may be accessed at MyMSAA.org/videos.
We hope you take advantage of MSAA’s informative online resources!