Today Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) named American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin our 19th Certified Duchenne Care Center.

PPMD’s Certified Duchenne Care Center Program, which supports standardized, comprehensive care and services for all people living with Duchenne, began certifying qualifying centers in 2014. Certification means centers maintain the highest standards in clinical and sub-specialty services, rapidly apply new evidence-based knowledge, minimize heterogeneity in clinical research outcomes, and comply with standards in clinical care that were established by the CDC Care Considerations. As part of its ongoing mission to end Duchenne, PPMD continues to insist that all people with Duchenne receive comprehensive care.

Led by clinic director Dr. Meredith Schultz, the Pediatric Neuromuscular Disorders Program at American Family Children’s Hospital specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and research of many neuromuscular diseases. Dr. Schultz is a neurologist with medical and teaching interests including neurogenetic disorders and pediatric neuromuscular disorders. She specializes in diagnostic evaluations of neurogenetic disorders and developmental delay, and helps manage children with complex congenital neurologic and neurodevelopmental disorders.

When asked about the certification, Dr. Schultz said: “Becoming a Certified Duchenne Care Center reflects the University of Wisconsin’s commitment to providing exceptional services to all our patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and is recognition of the quality of our comprehensive, multidisciplinary patient care. We are proud to have met this high standard and to be recognized for our efforts to improve the lives of all individuals living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.”

Kathi Kinnett, MSN, CNP, PPMD’s Senior Vice President of Clinical Care and director of PPMD’s Certified Duchenne Care Center (CDCC) Program, is pleased that University of Wisconsin and the American Family Children’s Hospital is joining the list of certified centers. Kinnett says, “The team at American Family Children’s Hospital is a committed, compassionate group of dedicated providers. Dr. Schultz and her team strive to provide excellent care to Duchenne families in Wisconsin. We could not be happier to include this wonderful team in our growing network of Certified Duchenne Care Centers.”

Kinnett says that since launching the program in 2014, PPMD receives weekly inquiries from centers interested in applying for certification. “Families in our community turn to PPMD to help identify the centers in the country providing the best in comprehensive Duchenne care and services. Clinics and clinicians are realizing the value of the Certified Duchenne Care Center Program and therefore strive to be the best facility they can be for Duchenne patients and families. Industry, also, is recognizing the value of including patients in their studies, receiving standardized Duchenne care and, thus, strengthening the outcome measures in their clinical trials. As the importance of a set of standards and guidelines in clinical care are recognized globally, PPMD looks forward to expanding this program internationally in the New Year by partnering with other patient advocacy groups. We also look forward to more certifications in the U.S. in 2018.”

To learn more about PPMD’s Certified Duchenne Care Center Program, visit PPMD’s website. Click here to learn more about the history of PPMD’s Certified Duchenne Care Center Program and to access PPMD’s first published article on the program.