A Message from the Chairman

 

     As we begin a promising new year, NSCFF envisions much progress during 2015 in serving the community's most needy through our Medicaid Clinic, supporting and enhancing cutting edge neuroscience research at FIU, and collaborating in caregiver education with Miami Dade College.  That being said, our ambitious plans and forward thinking ideas could not have been realized without the ongoing generous support of the Florida Legislature who recognizes the need and high cost of neurodegenerative disease and seeks to improve care, lower costs, and give better access to all Floridians.  We thank you for your vision and commitment to better healthcare!

     NSCFF's healthcare delivery model of coordinated, comprehensive, patient-centered, disease-specific care handled by a team of highly qualified healthcare professionals is at the heart of our philosophy of "community connections" where better outcomes are achieved through affiliation and collaboration of groups with like-minded missions.  As a pioneer in the Fourth Sector ("for-benefit" organizations carrying out a public purpose through self-sustaining business means) we stand strong in our support of local public universities like FIU as they help shape transformations in healthcare.

 

 

 

Dr. Jeffrey Horstmyer, MD, FAAN

Chairman of Neuroscience Centers of Florida Foundation

 
Parkinson's ResearchFIUResearch
     Over the past year, NSCFF  supported world-renowned FIU researcher, 
Dr. Sakhrat Khizroev in his efforts to build multi-physical, multi-modal, computational models to revolutionize neuroimaging techniques using Magneto-Electric Nano-devices. The potential applications of this technique span prevention and treatment of neurological disorders to opening a pathway to the fundamental understanding of the brain.  

   Using similar technology, Dr. Khizroev used magneto-electric (ME) nanoparticles to artificially stimulate the neural activity in the brain.   The simulations demonstrated the ability to stimulate the brain of a patient with Parkinson's disease, thus presenting a safe, non-invasive alternative treatment for Parkinson's disease by converting abnormal electric signals in the brain to healthy ones.

     Facilitating the research efforts at FIU is another way NSCFF acts as a Fourth Sector organization that works for-the-benefit of the University.

 
Alzheimer's Research 

More exciting news from NSCFF includes the addition of Nobel Prize Winner, Dr. Andrew Schally to the organization's Honorary Board! Dr. Schally is a distinguished Medical Research Scientist at the US Department of Veterans Affairs and has more than 2400 publications to his credit.
    As part of its research mission and model as a Fourth Sector organization, NSCFF is sponsoring Dr. Schally, along with Dr. Khizroev's team at FIU, to develop disease treatment techniques for Alzheimer's patients. The treatment uses targeted delivery of neuropeptide analogs deep into the brain using "Smart" magneto-electric nanoparticles to treat unhealthy behavior of Alzheimer's patients. NSCFF is dedicated to this project and honored to have Dr. Schally as an active collaborator who brings a wealth of knowledge to our organization. 

 

Stroke Research 

    In keeping with our philosophy and mission for community integration, NSCFF has implemented, along with the Fire Officer's Association of Miami Dade County, the Miami-Dade Stroke Consortium (MDSC) to study and improve acute stroke care.  To date, MDSC has received $368K to support its acute stroke data registry that includes 6 EMS departments and 14 hospitals, as well as research projects.

    Two notable research projects for 2015 were funded by pharmaceutical companies, Genentech and Boehringer Ingelheim.  Genentech's project will focus on raising awareness for stroke risk factors, warning signs and treatment in communities that are most at-risk for stroke through radio programs and primary care physician offices.  Boehringer Ingelheim's will be carried out in collaboration with Tenet Health Systems and compare acute stroke outcomes of patients on oral blood-thinners. 

Multiple Sclerosis Care
2014 was a great year for NSCFF's MS patients! 
Through State, County, and Private funding, NSCFF was able to provide social services, patient education programs, art and dance therapy and yoga classes free to the community.  The addition of the first full-time MS social worker in Miami Dade County filled a great need in our community.  Along with the continued dance, yoga, and educational programs, NSCFF is launching a Mindfulness Program in 2015 to enhance awareness of the mind and body which has been proven to be beneficial in treating stress-related disorders such as MS.
NSCFF Clinical CareNSCFFClinicalCare
In 2015, NSCFF will launch a Medicaid clinic to expand expert neurology services to the underserved patients in the Miami-Dade Community. 
 
     With our mission of keeping patients at home, at work, and out of the hospital, NSCFF will begin providing timely, coordinated, ambulatory care to the Medicaid population.  These services are expected to aid in avoiding costly emergency visits and hospitalizations.   After a review of the market, NSCFF learned that Medicaid patients, compared to commercial insurance patients, have 71% higher referral rates to specialists; yet they are constantly denied care.  Shockingly, only 1 in 8 will eventually be seen by a neurologist when referred due to their insurance status.  To bridge this gap, NSCFF will partner with Federally Qualified Health Centers to broaden access to specialty care to patients with Medicaid in order to ensure that their need for high quality, expert neurology care, is met.
Thank You to our community supporters for their continued and unwavering support!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesdays in February
NSCFF Adaptive Yoga
Funded by the MSF-Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. For Registered Students only. 2:15-3:15 PM 
St. Matthew the Apostle Episcopal Church
7410 Sunset Drive | Miami, FL, 33143

Fridays in February
NSCFF Dance/Music Therapy
Funded by the MSF-Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. For Registered Students only. 2:30-3:30 PM 
St. Matthew the Apostle Episcopal Church
7410 Sunset Drive | Miami, FL, 33143

Wednesday, February 11
Sexual Dysfunction in MS
This is a single-day educational program led by Dr. Jack Burks geared towards educating MS patients on the impact of sexual dysfunction and the need to treata it through the use of therapeutic modalities. 
6:00 PM 
2150 Coral Way, 8th Floor
Miami, FL, 33145
Wednesday, February 25
NSCFF Circle
For those living with MS and their families, we are now hosting two separate support groups on the last Wednesday of every month: one group for those living with MS and one group for the caregiver/loved ones and family. Please join us for an open dialogue, great support, and some laughs. 

The NSCFF Circle is a unique opportunity to partake in monthly meetings for sharing, venting, and supporting one another! Meetings are led by our MS Social Work Department.

6:30 PM 
2150 Coral Way | Miami, FL, 33145

RSVP: Call Tamara at 305.970.2759
Neuroscience Centers of Florida Foundation, Inc.
2150 Coral Way, 8th Floor
Miami, FL, 33145
Office: 305.856.8940 | Fax: 305.456.3797
info@nscff.org