Melanie Cole, MS (Host): Welcome to AHN Med Talks, an informative resource for physicians across various specialties as we delve into the latest medical insights and best practices, ensuring you stay at the forefront of your field. I'm Melanie Cole, and today we're highlighting AHN Integrative Neurology program. Joining me is Dr. Sushma Kola. She's a Movement Disorders Neurologist and the Director of Integrative Neurosciences with the AHN Neuroscience Institute. Dr. Kola, thank you so much for joining us today. Can you start by telling us a little bit about your role at AHN? Just tell us a little bit about yourself.

Sushma Kola, MD: Absolutely. So I am one of, I think only three integrative movement disorders neurologists in the country. What that means is that I have dual fellowship training. I trained both in movement disorders specifically, and then I did an additional fellowship in integrative medicine, and that is the holistic care of people living with chronic illness.

I currently lead the Integrative Neurosciences Program here at Allegheny Health Network, taking care of our patients with chronic neurology conditions.

Host: Wow, that's very, very admirable what you are doing, and I love that Integrative Neurology is something that's really coming onto the scene. So can you explain a little bit about what that means in this context and how AHN's approach differs from traditional neurology care? Because that's been around for so long, so please tell us a little bit about that.

Sushma Kola, MD: Absolutely. So our division is unique because we bring together neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and supportive services under one umbrella to really provide comprehensive care for patients with complex neurologic conditions. When we say integrative, we mean addressing the whole person, not just the disease.

So this includes evidence-based medications and procedures, but also lifestyle, mental health, sleep, nutrition, and social connection. So it's really about helping patients live better with their condition, not just treating symptoms.

Host: That's the way Dr. Kola that medicine is really headed. But as we look at this, how does this model of care improve outcomes for patients? And when referring physicians refer their patients to this program, what can they expect?

Sushma Kola, MD: For patients, this means that care is more personalized and supportive because every person's needs are unique, and this can provide both quality of life and medical outcomes. For example, patients are thriving with their condition instead of simply surviving with it. They're able to integrate better into their everyday lives with their families.

Children go to different social activities, they're really able to live their best life with this kind of approach. And for physicians, it means that their patients don't just get specialized neurologic care; they also get access to a team that addresses factors broader than their health itself.

Host: Well, let's expand on that team and the multidisciplinary care that's so important for these patients and so integral for integrative medicine. How do you collaborate with those other specialties?

Sushma Kola, MD: We work really closely with our colleagues in primary care who are often the ones that are finding patients with Parkinson's and strokes and other conditions in the community, and they send them our way. We also work with psychiatry and rehabilitation to really build care plans that cross traditional boundaries.

So for example, in addition to addressing medications that might help someone with Parkinson's, we are also having them see a dietician to learn about their nutrition habits. We're having them see a physical therapist so they can work on their walking and their balance at the same time. We have access to social workers and behavioral health specialists where they can really get support, not just for the patient, but also the caregivers who are often affected as well, by these conditions. And that way we're really treating the whole person, both family and patient, and we're able to allow them to lead their best life with this condition.

Host: Such a comprehensive approach. What new programs, Dr. Kola, or research are you most excited about?

Sushma Kola, MD: We are actually just launching two new clinical trials here within our movement disorder center. One is looking at a new infusion that can help patients with Parkinson's disease that are early on, and ideally actually delay symptom worsening. And we are also doing a genetic study where we can offer free genetic testing to our patients that look at the most common genes that may be related to Parkinson's.

AHN is really the only site in the Pittsburgh region that are doing these studies. And so we're being able to bring this cutting edge options to patients at Allegheny Health.

Host: Dr. Kola, where do you see integrative neurosciences headed in the next few years? And for any physicians that are really interested in this, how can they get involved?

Sushma Kola, MD: Looking ahead, we want to really expand access to integrative neuroscience care across the Western Pennsylvania region and to make AHN a leader nationally in whole person neurology. So this really includes building more partnerships with community physicians, having support for caregivers, support groups, really working with other therapists and other leaders in the field, including dieticians, exercise physiologists

and different types of therapists, acupuncturists, those folks can really help our patients. And by creating this integrative care model, this system can then be shared system-wide and ultimately nationally.

Host: That's really exciting. As we get ready to wrap up, what's the one message you'd like other physicians to take away about Integrative Neurosciences at AHN?

Sushma Kola, MD: There's one thing I'd want physicians to remember. It's that Integrative Neurosciences at AHN is here to support both patients and providers. We're a resource, whether it's from complex care, clinical trials, or improving quality of life for patients with neurologic conditions. So please think of us when you see a patient that may benefit from our comprehensive care, and we would be happy to help everyone really thrive with these conditions.

Host: Thank you so much, Dr. Kola, for joining us today and sharing your incredible expertise, your very unique expertise in this field. Thank you again for joining us and to learn more or to refer your patient to Dr. Kola, please call 844-MD REFER, or you can visit find care.ahn.org/sushmakola. Thank you so much for listening to this edition of AHN Med Talks with the Allegheny Health Network.

I'm Melanie Cole.