Understanding the Needs of Patients at Diagnosis and Throughout Their MS Journey

This publication explores patients’ needs at the time of diagnosis, how to build trust between healthcare professionalsand patients, and how to empower patients to have meaningful conversations with their healthcare team about symptoms and their impacts. 

Synthesized results from advisory board meetings, quantitative patient surveys and qualitative patient interview identified and explored four key themes:  

    •  communication needs
    •  the need for meaningful information
    •  access to reliable resources
    •  provision of emotional support 

Recommendations, developed through Steering Committee meetings, aimed to address patient needs across all four themes which are explored further in the publication.  

The paper also explores key insights relevant to implementing the recommendations, such as considerations around the time of diagnosis, patient overwhelm, barriers around communicating “hidden symptoms”, and the importance of trust when developing a shared treatment plan.  

Turning insight into action, MS21 has updated the popular pre-appointment planner – myMS priorities [found here] –with specifically designed versions for newly-diagnosed people and people further along in their MS journey.  

This publication highlights the specific needs of newly-diagnosed patients and provides practical solutions to empower patients and support them throughout their MS journey.