The ParkinsonNet trial: design and baseline characteristics.
The companion paper describes how implementation of professional networks (ParkinsonNet) may improve the quality and efficiency of allied health care in Parkinson's disease (PD). We designed a cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate this ParkinsonNet concept for one allied health discipline, namely physical therapy. Here we describe the study design and baseline characteristics. The design fully complies with the CONSORT criteria. Sixteen regions in the Netherlands were randomly divided into eight experimental regions where a ParkinsonNet was implemented, and eight control regions where the organization of care was left unchanged (usual care). Participating patients were followed for 6 months to evaluate the implementation process, health benefits and costs of the intervention. In the ParkinsonNet regions, 46 therapists were trained and 358 patients were included. In the usual care regions, 341 patients were included. Baseline characteristics of participants in the ParkinsonNet and control clusters were comparable. With 699 participating patients, this is the largest allied health study in PD to date.
Keus
Samyra H J
SH
Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (RUNMC), Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Nijkrake
Maarten J
MJ
Borm
George F
GF
Kwakkel
Gert
G
Roos
Raymund A C
RA
Berendse
Henk W
HW
Adang
Eddy M
EM
Overeem
Sebastiaan
S
Bloem
Bastiaan R
BR
Munneke
Marten
M
D000368:Aged; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009462:Neurology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000078329:Workforce