Will Virtual House Calls Change Parkinson Disease Treatment?

Telemedicine for PD was feasible and safe in a randomized trial.

Investigators conducted a multicenter trial to determine whether providing home visits through the use of telemedicine for Parkinson disease (PD) patients would be feasible and beneficial. The study compared typical clinic-based care to four virtual visits. One primary outcome measure was feasibility, predefined as the proportion of participants who completed at least one virtual visit and also by the proportion of virtual visits that were completed on time. The other primary outcome measure was efficacy, predefined as the pre- to poststudy Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire–39 quality-of-life score.

Of 195 patients randomized to telehealth (intervention) or usual care, 95 (98% of the intervention group) completed at least one telemedicine vi…

Reviewing Author

Michael S. Okun, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America

Speaker’s BureauMedscape/WebMD CME, Movement Disorders Society CME, American Academy of Neurology CME

RoyaltiesBooks4Patients; Demos; Cambridge; Taylor and Francis; Robert Rose; Public Affairs

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; Parkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America; University of Florida Foundation

Editorial BoardsTremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements; JAMA Neurology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesParkinson’s Foundation (Medical Advisor)