New York telemedicine program to extend Parkinson's care

The Parkinson's Disease Care, New York (PDCNY) program developed by neurologists at UR Medicine (URMC) will provide free access to care via virtual telemedicine for as many as 500 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and other chronic diseases across New York State.

"Providing coordinated, ongoing care to Parkinson's patients in the traditional settings of a doctor's office requires these individuals and their caregivers and families to travel, often long distances, and is expensive for payers and patients alike," said Kevin Biglan, MD, MPH, director of the PDCNY program. "The PDCNY program will break down the barriers of geography and deliver care directly to patients who have never seen a specialist and in the comfort of their own homes." 

Participants in the PDCNY program will be able to interact with Parkinson’s specialists at URMC through a web-based teleconferencing system where physicians and nurses develop and regularly reevaluate coordinated care plans for each patient, including referrals to speech, occupational and physical therapists, mental health providers, social workers and home health providers. Participants will also be able to use iPhones to access the mPower app to track and share health information with doctors, in turn better informing both patients and doctors about symptoms and care. The iPhone uses sensors to measure dexterity, voice fluctuations, balance and gait, and memory.

"For the first time for anyone in a defined geographic area with a defined conditions can received care in their home virtually, regardless of their ability to pay," said URMC neurologist Ray Dorsey, MD, MBA. "This brings us one step closer to fulfilling our vision to deliver Parkinson's care to anyone, anywhere."

Parkinson's disease, because most aspects of the disease are visual, is unique in the telemedicine world because a doctor does not need to be face-to-face in order to evaluate the patient. Physicians can observe the patient performing certain tasks, such as repeatedly tapping their fingers together, walking and describing their symptoms over the teleconferencing system. Just as in the doctor’s office, the physician is able to monitor the progression of the disease, manage and adjust medications accordingly, and refer the patient to other specialists, therapists and support services.

This program is a giant leap forward in the treatment of many Parkinson’s patients. With over 40 percent of patients not able to directly see a neurologist, this program is making care accessible to those who are farther away from major academic medical centers where most of the Parkinson specializing neurologists are located.  

The PDCNY program will provide care to 500 patients, approximately 400 of whom reside in the nine-county Greater Rochester area. An estimated 7,000 individuals with Parkinson's in the Rochester area have not seen a specialist in the last five years. 

"By providing care directly in to the homes of individuals with Parkinson's, this program will address barriers to access of care, improve the quality of care these individuals receive, and improve their function and quality of life," said Biglan.