U P S TAT E M E D I C A L UNIVERSITY NEWS Syracuse, NY | February 2016
Alzheimer’s
S P E C I A L I Z AT I O N UPSTATE EARNS $2.35 MILLION GRANT, CENTER OF EXCELLENCE DESIGNATION Upstate has received a New York State Department of Health award of up to $2.35 million over five years and the new designation as a Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease. “The distinction as a Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease affirms Upstate’s role as a leader in the region in the management of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias,” says Sharon A. Brangman, MD, a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and chief of geriatric medicine at Upstate. Brangman says that the funding will be used to expand the center’s efforts to diagnose those with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in the early stages of their illness. She says there are many advantages to receiving an early diagnosis, including access to medications that have been shown to manage the symptoms of the disease. “Patients who receive an early and accurate diagnosis will have access to new courses of treatment as they become available, may participate in clinical trials, and will be at a stage in their disease where they can have a say in their advanced care planning to address their financial, legal, medical and caregiving needs.” Brangman and her team will use various strategies to promote early detection, including outreach to physicians in rural areas of New York, as well as educational programs for health professionals and the general public.
Designation as a Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease means that patients will receive integrative, comprehensive and coordinated medical services for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. These centers also train health care providers and students on the detection, diagnosis and treatment of dementias.
Sharon A. Brangman, MD, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine, is chief of geriatric medicine at Upstate. She is also medical director of Upstate’s Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease.
In addition, they serve as a regional resource and referral source, providing coordinated delivery of services to dementia patients and their families, which is essential to allow these individuals to remain in their communities as long as possible.
They also collaborate with Alzheimer’s Association chapters and other social service and health care providers in the region to promote public and professional education and support for patients and caregivers. Upstate’s Division of Geriatrics serves as the clinical site for the Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease. The center is located in Suite A, 550 Harrison St., Syracuse.
Upstate’s Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease is accepting new patients. Call 315-464-5166. ■
Upstate Connect: 800-544-1605 for Physician-to-Physician Service
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