The Professional Healthcare Team
Hopefully this Guidebook gives you insight into the roles of multidisciplinary professionals who will make up your team. You will not be involved with each of these specialists all at the same time. However, at some point in the course of the disease, you will likely encounter them. Therefore, in this book, experts in many of the relevant professions have contributed their knowledge. Those professionals on your team may include:
• Movement disorders neurologist( specialist) and their clinical nurse
• Primary care provider( PCP)
• Physical therapist( PT)
• Speech and language pathologist( SLP)
• Nutritionist / Dietician
• Clinical social worker( MSW)
• Occupational therapist( OT)
• Pharmacist
• Psychiatrist and / or neuropsychologist
• Neuro-ophthalmologist
Becoming a Partner in Your Care
There are steps you and your loved one can take to feel more comfortable as a partner and collaborator on the care team.
• Learn about each team member’ s role.
• Find out how to access their professional services.
• Acquire their contact information.
• Become educated about the disease and its management.
• Ask questions.
• Encourage family or friends to accompany you to medical and therapy appointments and your support group.
• Establish communication with your team.
• Obtain the name of your particular point person on the team: the person who will either answer your questions or triage them to the team member who can best respond.
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Your Neurologist Visit
To make the most of your time with the movement disorders specialist, come to the appointment prepared:
• Bring a list of all current medications, including dosages and times.
• Inform the neurologist of health and family changes, or hospitalizations, since the last visit.
• Write down— and bring— questions and health concerns.
• Ask for explanations of medical terms, medication changes, and recommendations.
• Ask about referrals— such as rehabilitation therapist, social worker, and classes— even if, or especially if, the doctor does not raise the subject.
• Take notes.
• Provide your neurologist with the contact information of your primary care physician.
• Before leaving the appointment, make sure you understand the plan: medication schedule and changes, potential side effects, referrals, and date of return visit.