Mission:

Parkinson's Care Networks (PCN) mission is to improve the quality of life of persons with Parkinson's disease and related debilitating chronic illnesses by planning, organizing, staffing and managing comprehensive, cost-effective, integrated networks of services.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a widespread, degenerative, neurological condition that often leads to disability and places a substantial burden on families and the community.

A broad array of non-medical (e.g. physical therapy, home nursing care) as well as medical therapies are available to alleviate and delay the debilitating effects of the disease. However, application of treatments for PD is neither widely understood by generalist health providers, nor sufficiently well organized and financed to be accessible by large numbers of patients. A disease management care network is designed to address these access, quality and cost issues.

Parkinson's care is enhanced by engaging the leading PD service organizations in the community (e.g., Parkinson's associations, tertiary care centers, medical groups, health insurers) in concerted efforts to create a comprehensive, integrated system for disease management including:

• Developing treatment criteria and clinical pathways to render the best available care.
• Planning a comprehensive array of services to assist PD patients and care partners.
• Forming a service network by recruiting, contracting, and training selected community providers to provide quality care for PD patients.
• Improving coordination of care among service providers with care managers and advanced information systems and other linkages.
• Establishing data collection, assessment, feedback and education functions for on-going planning and quality management of cost effective care.

An organized system provides an efficient and effective response to patient care needs:

Patients are more informed and compliant with appropriate self care and other medical and non-medical treatments.

Patients maintain independence longer and suffer less from the disease and the side effects of medications.

The cost of improvement in patient quality of life is offset by avoiding complications of the disease /treatments that require more intensive care (e.g. hospital, nursing home).

PCN adds value to patient care by augmenting existing health care systems with disease management processes including:

• Guidance of a planning team of community and professional leaders to launch and continually improve the care network.
• Maintenance of an expert review panel to track scientific advances and develop criteria and clinical protocols for care.
• Provision of systems, information, and analysis to support development and continuing management of the network.
• Provision of expert consultation and education on the patient care issues, case management, and information / planning technology to operate a care network.
• Collaboration with providers and health plans on staffing, managing and financing the network.
• Consideration of flexible business arrangements with the purchasers of care in the finance and operation of the system including fee for service or risk sharing.

PCN staff offer a range of professional skills and a track record of successful experience with the key aspects of effective service system development and disease management, including:
 
• Provision of specialty service for PD and related conditions, including the medical, psycho-social, and functional aspects of care and effective care management.
• Management of the quality and cost of care including planning, organization and financing of community integrated care systems.
• Development of partnerships to effectively utilize existing skills and resources in the network.

QuADPaC

Program Overview .. Research Agenda .. Program Methods .. Program Management

Status of Parkinson's Care  .. Cost Study Highlights .. EPDA Presentation

PD Access Survey .. Preliminary Results

Parkinson's-FDA-Industry Initiative

Parkinson's Care Networks ..  Links