S5 - E23.5 - From the EASL Congress: The Need for Shared Experience MASLD Support Groups and Programs

Surfing the MASH Tsunami

Co-chairs Shira Zelber-Sagi and Mike Betel and panelists Tom Marjot and José Willemse, all from the EASL Congress session "Patient Experiences in Clinical Settings," join Louise Campbell to the need for resources that allow MASLD patients to access shared experience programs and holistic MASLD support programs.
This final conversation focuses on shared experience and holistic MASLD support programs. It starts with Tom suggesting that shared experience is a pivotal factor in patient support groups and patient-based supportive care. He goes back to viral hepatitis, where many of the patients had common background challenges related to the disease. In viral hepatitis, patients who have been treated successfully become integrated into the care community. Nothing like that happens in MASLD at this time. Louise comments this would be particularly useful due to stigma around the disease, stigma that successfully treated patients have overcome.
Louise points out that Michael makes extensive use of shared experience videos, such as this month, when he invited patients to follow him on a "30-day glucose challenge." Michael says that he gets unsolicited notes about how helpful the approach is, along with diet recipes. He agrees with Tom that a viral hepatitis model might provide help here.
Mike discusses the idea of metabolic disease support programs that take a more holistic approach and place MASLD in a broader, multi-disease context. Shire likes the holistic approach as well, including a focus on mental health. Tom agrees with the basic approach, commenting that the multitude of possible issues is what makes MASLD so tricky.
As the conversation wraps up, two final themes emerge: (i) physicians must be actively curious in exploring each patient's needs if therapy is to succeed, and (ii) joint goal setting is an excellent strategy for driving incremental changes in behavior.