Zwolle – The Isala MS center has recently officially become an STZ (Stichting Top Clinical Training Hospitals) expertise center. Neurologist Esther Zeinstra: ‘We are of course very proud of that. We have done that as a chain, so not only from neurology but also with rehabilitation medicine and medical psychology.’
You earn this recognition if you are committed to education and training, offer good patient care and make an important and lasting contribution to science and research.
Own research
The Isala MS center participates in national studies, but it also initiates its own investigations. Esther: ‘Take the MonSter study, for example. We have received a subsidy for this from the Isala Innovation and Science Fund and the MS Fund. Marlies Hoving, research nurse in our MS center, will be doing her PhD on this. We want to find out what digital contact means for patients with MS. As a result, for example, they do not have to go to the hospital as often for an appointment, but they can easily contact us. We think that we make healthcare better this way, but it has never been scientifically proven. That’s why this research.’
Time for fun things
Another study that also aims to give patients as much autonomy as possible is smart lab. Esther: ‘MS patients often have to go to hospital to have a blood test. How nice would it be if you could draw blood yourself at home? Together with the KCL and patients, we are investigating whether this is possible. First, the preconditions have to be right. Do we use the right tubes to collect the blood, for example? I, as well as patients, are so excited about it. They would like to start. I always think about how we can improve the care for our patients so that they have more time for fun things and have to go to hospital less often.’
e-Nose
Finally, there is still an investigation in the MS center into the eNose. Esther: ‘We are using the eNose to investigate whether we can make the diagnosis of MS easier and faster. The idea is that the eNose could “smell” whether or not someone has MS. The first results are promising, but the use is of course only in a research setting. You first have to make a very good model and test it further before you can use it in practice.’
‘We also want to use the e-Nose to see whether someone has suffered from MS due to a so-called recurrence (edit. the emergence of new MS complaints or existing complaints that are increasing significantly). Or that the complaints have a different cause, for example stress or a bladder infection. It is the intention that Rozemarijn Ettema, who is training to become a neurologist, will do his PhD on this.’
National studies in which the Isala MS Center participates mainly focuses on the use of medicines. Can you safely stop if the MS is stable? Or can you give certain IVs once every five weeks instead of every four weeks?
Stamceltherapie
A treatment that is not yet reimbursed in the Netherlands, but is available in other countries, is stem cell therapy. Esther: ‘This should also be available in the Netherlands for a number of patients. It doesn’t work for every form of MS, while people sometimes think it does. It is an aggressive treatment that you have to start in time, because what has already destroyed the MS cannot be repaired with stem cell therapy. Sometimes I try to get the treatment reimbursed through a health insurer. Until now, that has rarely been possible and patients who still want the treatment have to finance it themselves.’
You can read more information about Isala MS center here.