Assistant Professor of Neurology Rachel Forman, MD, and Professor of Neurology Jason Sico, MD, MHS, traveled to Washington, D.C., and shared patient stories in an effort to push for increased research funding and telehealth access.
Priorities for Forman at this year’s Neurology on the Hill were to increase support for research funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, and to expand access to telehealth services.
Both Forman and Sico drew upon their collective knowledge and experience as stroke neurologists to champion for an increase in services for their patients.
“Both of these initiatives are so important for the future of our patients and communities,” says Forman.
“Many people with severe neurologic disability are unable to attend in-person visits and others cannot afford to take time off work for long travel times into a clinician’s office. Offering telehealth has proven to be effective for many patients and we are advocating for the telehealth bill to become permanent.”
“We spoke about our experiences caring for stroke survivors and how far we have come in stroke research with our acute treatment options like thrombectomy. We see people who would otherwise be destined for severe disability, often unable to speak or move half their body, to leaving the hospital unscathed after this procedure. Without research funding, this would not be possible. Dr. Sico also told powerful stories of his veteran patients and their unique experiences,” said Forman.
Harnessing their professional expertise and passion for patient care not only served Neurology on the Hill’s core priorities, but also made Forman and Sico better physicians, scientists, and educators.
“[Neurology on the Hill] invigorates us to use our voice not only nationally, but also locally. I am sincerely grateful to the American Academy of Neurology for giving me this opportunity,” said Forman.
Neurology on the Hill is sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and convenes leading neurologists from across the United States to advocate for the neurologic health of patients and for the future of the neurology workforce.