Moncton Interdisciplinary Neurodegenerative Diseases (MIND) Clinic

A referral from your primary care provider is required. Referrals are accepted from within New Brunswick for adults of any age with progressive neurocognitive symptoms.

All primary care providers that refer patients to Horizon’s MIND Clinic have received information on how/when to refer patients.

The MIND Clinic team currently consists of two geriatricians, two neurologists, a registered nurse, a neuropsychologist, a social worker, a research manager, and an administrative assistant. There is also an associate neurologist and an associate psychiatrist.

Prior to your first clinic visit you will be contacted by the clinic RN for a telephone pre-assessment to gather information from you and explain what will happen at your clinic visit.

The purpose of your first in-person visit is to allow us to gather as much information as possible to aid in the diagnosis of your condition and the development of your care plan.

This initial visit can take 2-3 hours. You will be asked about the progression of your symptoms, any other health conditions you have, past medical procedures, and similar illnesses in your biological relatives.

The diagnosis may involve brain imaging such as a MRI and/or an electroencephalogram (EEG), a non-invasive test that measures electrical activity in the brain, and laboratory testing, such as blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid (the clear liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord). The specific purpose, benefits, and risks of each test will be explained to you and your consent will be obtained before any test or intervention occurs.

We will do our best to answer all of your questions and will provide you with a clear explanation of the steps in the diagnostic and care plan.

Prior to your appointment, we suggest starting a symptom diary to record your symptoms and any changes that occur. We suggest that you collect information from your family members about any medical conditions on both sides of your family. We also suggest that you write down your questions and any concerns you have before your visit.

We recommend bringing a family member or a trusted friend to your appointment, one who can help answer questions or take notes if needed.

Please bring:

• Current medication list
• List of any past surgeries
• Family medical history
• Symptom diary (if you have one)
• List of questions and concerns

Research is an important part of our work because it can help us better understand these types of conditions, and the effect on patients and their families. At your first visit, you will be asked to consent to have your clinical information included in the clinic research database and your consent will also be requested for screening for future research. With all research, consent is voluntary, and all details will be provided to you so you can make an informed decision.

The MIND Clinic is located within The Moncton Hospital on the main floor of the hospital, located at 135 MacBeath Avenue, Moncton.

Horizon’s Moncton Interdisciplinary Neurodegenerative Diseases (MIND) Clinic is a tertiary care service that assesses, diagnoses, and provides ongoing care/treatment to patients with progressive neurodegenerative diseases to improve their quality of life, and provide family support.

Horizon’s Moncton Interdisciplinary Neurodegenerative Diseases (MIND) Clinic is New Brunswick’s only cross-specialty collaborative clinic for all progressive neurodegenerative diseases affecting adults of any age.

The MIND Clinic, located at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital, has a dedicated team of geriatricians, neurologists, registered nurses, neuropsychologist, social worker, research manager, and an administrative assistant. Associates of neurology and psychiatry also help the team.

The first step is assessment. The MIND Clinic team gathers as much information as possible about the patient’s health history, family health history and symptoms, and orders brain imaging and other laboratory tests to aid in the diagnosis.

The MIND Clinic team continues to provide ongoing care/treatment to patients and provides assistance to patients and families in accessing community resources and supports.

We ask patients and their families not to hesitate to discuss their concerns with staff involved in their, or a loved one’s, care.

But if patients are having difficulty expressing their needs or concerns, they or their family can contact Patient Representative Services. A Patient Representative will listen to patients’ concerns with compassion, in confidence, and in their best interest.

Patients have a right to make decisions about their own health and may seek a second opinion. Patients who wish to seek a second opinion must speak with their primary care provider first and ask them for a referral to another specialist who works in the field.

Note: if a patient wants to obtain a second opinion from a specialist in another province, they may be billed for services. Claims can be submitted to New Brunswick Medicare for consideration, but reimbursement is not guaranteed.

The MIND Clinic will be conducting research to improve our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases in New Brunswick and will study the ways we identify and treat these conditions so that patients can receive optimum care at all stages of their illness.

The MIND Clinic will collaborate with local, provincial, and neurogenerative diseases experts on research projects that are applicable to the conditions impacting patients and families associated with the clinic.

All potential research studies will undergo a feasibility assessment by the MIND Clinic, a review by Horizon’s Human Research Protection Program, and then approval will be obtained from Horizon’s Research Ethics Board (REB) and any research partner REB.

With research ethics approvals in place, the informed and voluntary consent of potential research participants will be sought from patients at the MIND Clinic.