title: The ParkinsonNet concept: development, implementation and initial experience.
abstract: The quality and efficiency of allied health care in Parkinson's disease (PD) must be improved. We have developed the ParkinsonNet concept: a professional regional network within the catchment area of hospitals. ParkinsonNet aims to: (1) improve PD-specific expertise among allied health personnel, by training a selected number of therapists according to evidence-based guidelines; (2) enhance the accuracy of referrals by neurologists; (3) boost patient volumes per therapist, by stimulating preferred referral to ParkinsonNet therapists; and (4) stimulate collaboration between therapists, neurologists, and patients. We describe the procedures for developing a ParkinsonNet network. Our initial experience with this new concept is promising, showing an increase in PD-specific and a steady rise in the patient volume of individual therapists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (RUNMC), Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maarten J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nijkrake
authors.forename: Samyra H J
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Keus
authors.forename: Sebastiaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Overeem
authors.forename: Rob A B
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Oostendorp
authors.forename: Thea P M Vliet
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Vlieland
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mulleners
authors.forename: Edo M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Hoogerwaard
authors.forename: Bastiaan R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Bloem
authors.forename: Marten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Munneke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome