The Launch of AMDAPP and Goals of the Organization: Kelly Papesh, DNP-C, MSN

WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

“We've [shown] that not only does a nurse practitioner or a [physician assistant] add value to a multidisciplinary team—and that is part of the reason we’re bringing visibility to our field—but [AMDAPP] also is a home for APPs to come to. They can come to us for resources. If they are new on the job, and they’re wondering, ‘What do I need to know to manage a movement disorder patient?’, we’re their home.”

At the 2nd Annual Advanced Therapeutics in Movement and Related Disorders (ATMRD) Congress, held by the PMD Alliance from June 8 to 11, 2023, in Washington, DC, the first day of the meeting offered an advanced practice provider (APP) focused schedule, with a slew of CME courses covering a range topics from the management of complex patients with movement disorders to career path education, pearls, and pitfalls to avoid. The congress is attended by a large number of APPs and brings together the spectrum of clinical care providers in movement disorders.

This year’s meeting also brought with it the launch of a brand-new organization focused solely on APPs in the movement field. The group, called the Association of Movement Disorder Advanced Practice Providers, or AMDAPP, has built a community of nurse practitioners and physician assistants from around the United States to offer resources and networking for these individuals. Over time, APPs have had an increased role in the care of complex diseases, such as Parkinson disease, and have established themselves as essential members of the comprehensive care team—particularly in light of the aging population and the increasing number of patients.

Kelly Papesh, DNP-C, MSN, the executive director of AMDAPP, sat down with NeurologyLive® while on-site in Washington, DC, to provide her perspectives on the launch of the organization, the resources that it can already offer to members—from resources and CME to journal clubs—and its goals for the future. She also spoke about the barriers to care for movement disorders, specifically access to providers, and the role that APPs play in helping to address the increasing demand for care, among other topics.

Click here for more coverage of ATMRD 2023.