Expanding access to care for people with Down syndrome

In collaboration with Mass General Brigham, members at Mass General Brigham Health Plan have access to Down Syndrome Clinic to You (DSC2U), an online service developed by Dr. Brian Skotko, MD, MPP, and the teams from the Down Syndrome Program and Lab of Computer Science at Massachusetts General Hospital, making health care accessible to everyone.

DSC2U is an online service developed by Dr. Brian Skotko, MD, MPP, and the teams from the Down Syndrome Program and Lab of Computer Science at Massachusetts General Hospital. DSC2U brings “the best of health and wellness information about Down syndrome to caregivers and primary care physicians around the globe,” regardless of location.

Unfortunately, 95% of people living in the U.S. don’t live near a Down syndrome specialty clinic like the one at Massachusetts General Hospital. To address that disparity, DSC2U provides patients with a personalized wellness plan that can be shared with their primary care provider (PCP) to improve the overall care they receive.

To ensure patients get the right care at the right time, DSC2U offers:

• Recommended labs, tests, and procedures
• Potential new conditions/diagnoses to be considered
• Health and wellness resources
• Nutrition suggestions
• Education/therapy resources

And it makes a difference.

"One of the challenges of practicing in a small town is finding resources for issues that I rarely encounter. I frequently find myself weighing whether it's worth sending patients on 10-hour round trip drives for specialist referrals, and many families can't afford the trip at all short of an emergency,” says pediatrician, Dr. Travis Riddell. “DSC2U might not replace an actual specialty clinic, but it could certainly stand to improve care for many kids without easy access to many types of specialists."

Accessing DSC2U

Caregivers for patients with Down syndrome start by sharing current symptoms, past medical or behavioral diagnoses, and any recent lab work or testing. From there, they have the option to answer questions about things like nutrition, education, therapies, life skills, and available community resources. Those responses then go through an automated process designed around national guidelines from Down syndrome experts, so families can get personalized recommendations for care, including a document for themselves and a document for their loved one’s PCP.

If you’re a member of Mass General Brigham Health Plan and you want to access DSC2U, you can:

1. Visit DSC2U.org and create an account by selecting “Log In” at the top of the page.
2. Under payment, enter your Mass General Brigham Health Plan ID #.
3. Fill out the requested information and get started on the intake form.

If you have any questions, please call us at the number on the back of your ID card, email us at MGBHPCS@mgb.org, or log in to Member.MGBHP.org to chat live with a customer service professional. We are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays.