Starting Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care at Initial Diagnosis: Mary R. Rensel, MD, FAAN, ABIHM

WATCH TIME: 3 minutes

"You always need to have a team of support around you when you live with MS."

At the 2025 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting, held May 28-31, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona, Mary Rensel, MD, FAAN, ABIHM, chaired a session called "The Interdisciplinary Approach to Wellness in MS," which highlighted the vital role of collaborative care models in managing multiple sclerosis (MS). During the session, Rensel, director of Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Wellness at the Mellen Center of the Cleveland Clinic, and Alyssa DeCarlo, MS, OTR/L, MSCS, presented on integrating wellness into MS care through a comprehensive, team-based approach.

Further in the presentation, Mary Mazzola, MA, CCC-SLP, and Hannah Malloy, PT, DPT, NCS, expanded on the “looping” model of interdisciplinary care, emphasizing continuous, dynamic collaboration among health care providers. The session also included a panel of case discussions showcasing real-world applications of interdisciplinary strategies across wellness domains such as cognitive health, physical function, emotional well-being, and lifestyle management. At the end, Rensel concluded the session by reinforcing the necessity of early and sustained interdisciplinary coordination to optimize patient outcomes in MS care.

During the meeting, Rensel, who also serves as an associate professor of medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, sat down in an interview with NeurologyLive^® to outline the comprehensive care model used at the Mellen Center for patients with MS. In the interview, she stressed the value of integrating therapies such as occupational, physical, speech, and psychological support from the time of diagnosis. Through a case example of a young mother experiencing early MS symptoms, Rensel illustrated how collaborative, team-based care can ultimately help patients maintain their quality of life and return to valued daily activities.

Click here for more coverage of CMSC 2025.

REFERENCES
1. Rensel M, DeCarlo A. The Interdisciplinary Approach to Wellness in MS. Presented at: 2025 CMSC Annual Meeting; May 28-31; Phoenix, AZ. The Interdisciplinary Approach to Wellness in MS.