Capable and Compassionate Clinical Services
All of your ALS healthcare specialists in one cutting-edge center
Our multi-disciplinary team of ALS specialists work together to seamlessly and compassionately coordinate care, while our research team provides opportunities to learn about, and to participate in research.
Diagnostic Evaluation
The diagnosis of ALS can sometimes be challenging, especially since there are no blood, radiological or other diagnostic tests. Instead, the diagnosis requires the clinical judgement of an experienced neurologist with expertise in ALS and related disorders. Key to making a correct and timely diagnosis, is the combination of a careful medical history, a thorough neurological examination, electromyography (EMG) and the judicious use of other tests to rule out ALS mimics. The Neuromuscular Division at the University of Miami has several neurologists skilled in the evaluation and diagnosis of patients who may have ALS. These ALS specialists bring their expertise and compassion to the evaluation of patients in whom the diagnosis of ALS is being considered.
Fast Track ALS Clinic
Recognizing the critical importance of a timely diagnosis, to help minimize anxiety and to initiate treatment as early as possible, the ALS Center has established a Fast Track ALS Clinic for the evaluation of people who are suspected to have ALS or require a second opinion. Our goal is to ensure that the evaluation will occur within two weeks of our learning of the need for an appointment.
Second Visit Clinic
Hearing the news that one has been diagnosed with ALS is a life-changing event that raises a myriad of questions, many of which arise only after leaving the physician’s office. Patients and their families need swift answers to these questions. This led us to conceive the idea of a ‘Second Visit Clinic’, occurring within 7-10 days of receiving a diagnosis of ALS. This gives patients and their families a little time to begin to come to terms with the diagnosis, and then to quickly return to see our experts who will answer questions, begin to put in place a management plan, to explore the potential value of genetic testing, and to discuss research opportunities. An added benefit of the ‘Second Visit Clinic’ is that it ensures that newly diagnosed patients never leave the ALS Center without a concrete plan for early follow-up. Moreover, the structure of the ‘Second Visit Clinic’ ensures the initial diagnostic evaluation can focus on establishing and communicating the diagnosis, and to providing comfort to patients and their families.
Multi-disciplinary Care
The multi-disciplinary clinic aims to coordinate services to help manage the needs of patients throughout the course of disease. These clinic visits take 3-4 hours, enabling our patients to see all their providers in a coordinated and efficient manner. Rather than moving from room to room, each patient stays in an examination room, with the providers rotating through for their appointments. Every patient also meets with a member of the research team to learn about research opportunities and ongoing clinical trials, both locally and nationally. The care team then meets at the end of the clinic to develop a comprehensive and integrated plan that is customized to the needs of each individual patient. Following each clinic visit, we work together as a healthcare team to procure necessary medical devices and obtain insurance approvals for prescribed medications.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Clinic
When ALS causes weakness in the muscles of the tongue, face and throat, speech may become slurred. As weakness progresses, speech may become sufficiently impaired to interfere with verbal communication. Communication with others is critically important in expressing our opinions, wishes, needs and emotions, and loss of the ability to communicate may lead to social frustration, social isolation and depression. To provide optimal communication support to our patients, we have established an AAC clinic, where patients’ speech is evaluated and individualized communication tools, ranging from simple devices to very sophisticated technologies, are offered.
Wheelchair Clinic
If muscle weakness progresses to the point that ambulation is no longer safe, then a wheelchair may be needed. A custom-designed wheelchair is paramount to maintaining independence and comfort in patients who are immobilized. Our wheelchair clinic is staffed by a physical therapist and a healthcare provider who perform a thorough evaluation and tailor the chair to the specific needs of each individual.
Qalsody Clinic
Qalsody is a type of gene therapy, approved for the treatment of SOD1 ALS by the US Food and Drug Administration in April 2023. The Qalsody clinic, established and led by Dr. Carberry, is dedicated to providing this transformative medication to patients with SOD1 ALS. Qalsody is administered as an infusion into the spinal fluid and requires special expertise to deliver as well as to prevent and mange side effects that might arise. This clinic builds on the extensive shared experiences with the medication between Drs. Carberry and Benatar, who leads the ongoing clinical trial of Qalsody in the pre-symptomatic population at elevated genetic risk for SOD1 ALS.
The Importance of Multi-disciplinary Care

For people diagnosed with ALS the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial challenges can often become overwhelming. The progression of the disease brings new symptoms and difficulties. This increases the number of people involved in the critical care of the patient and their families.
A multi-disciplinary approach provides many advantages including the sharing of information, collaboration and holistic decision making. Clear communication among the care team and the effective coordination of required services is vital. The support of a team of connected specialists can provide exceptional peace of mind and an informed understanding for the patient and their families. Interconnected services greatly improve the continuum of care along the journey.
Today, the best ALS care is provided by multi-disciplinary teams. There is strong data that patients who are cared for by these teams experience significantly prolonged survival and a better quality of life. Further, medical complications appear to occur less frequently in the setting of multi-disciplinary ALS care. Various national ALS Care guidelines, including that of The American Academy of Neurology, state that multi-disciplinary care should be considered for all patients.

Coordinated Care for Changing Needs

A multi-disciplinary ALS Clinic employs various health care professionals from a range of disciplines who work together to optimize care for patients and their families. Neurologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists, clinical psychologists, dietitians, social workers, and nursing care managers have important roles in addressing various aspects of the disease.
During a typical clinic visit, patients are seen by all these specialists, decreasing the burden of time and travel. Members of the care team meet after every clinic session, sharing their opinion and recommendations about each specific patient. This ensures a well-coordinated plan of action for all aspects of care.

Neurologist
Nurse/Nurse Practitioner
Speech and Swallowing Pathologist
Nutritionist
Physical Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Mental Health Professional
Living with ALS is likely to bring psychological challenges for both you and your caregivers. Psychological counseling is an important part of the overall treatment plan. The psychologist evaluates mood and behavior, provides counseling, and offers advice regarding how to approach discussions with other members of the family and with friends. Young children within the affected family often have special psychological needs, and counselors can help the family understand these and work with the child to remain feeling secure during the course of the disease.
Respiratory Therapist
Breathing becomes impaired at some point in the ALS disease process. The respiratory therapist evaluates your respiratory muscle strength and function, and monitors these important variables regularly as the disease progresses. He or she also provides training in good airway hygiene, and counsels you on the use of adaptive techniques such as “breath stacking.” The respiratory therapist introduces you to the availability of non-invasive ventilation measures, as well as a cough-assist device, since a strong cough is essential for preventing airway infection.
Social Worker
Coping with ALS is challenging on both emotional and practical levels. Finding the support you need for coping with those challenges is often a significant challenge by itself. The social worker’s job is to help you obtain that support. He or she provides information about, and referrals to, community agencies for counseling, in-home care, and other important options. The social worker also helps you and your family to navigate insurance, disability, family medical leave, and other important issues related to finances and employment. The social worker will also discuss advance directive documents for medical decision-making and assist with end-of-life care planning, including palliative and hospice care.
Meet Our Experts
The UM ALS team of exceptional clinicians and researchers.
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Research Holds The Key
Comprehensive research is the pathway to understand and eventually cure this complex disease.