Fall / Winter 2023 | Research 13
Gaps Persist in Care for Parkinson ’ s
Researchers analyzing Medicare data found only six in 10 Medicare beneficiaries with PD saw a neurologist or movement disorder specialist ( MDS ) in 2019 , and far fewer received care from an occupational , physical or speech-language therapist or a mental health professional . The findings , published in npj Parkinson ’ s Disease , underscored the need to expand expert Parkinson ’ s care , and particularly the need for more MDSs , neurologists expertly trained to recognize and treat PD . They also revealed notable care gaps for women , people in rural areas , and people of color . In particular , those identifying as Asian , Black , Hispanic and North American Native accessed a neurologist or MDS at significantly lower rates than white beneficiaries .
New Advisory Committee Focuses on Gait
The Foundation ’ s newly established Gait Advisors Leading Outcomes for Parkinson ’ s ( GALOP ) advisory committee has announced funding for clinical studies to better define , measure and treat gait and balance disorders that increase risk for falls and serious injuries for people with PD . The committee includes not only clinicians and researchers who focus on gait but also people with gait issues to bring a broad range of perspectives on the challenges of gait impairments . Its mission includes supporting research for advancing therapeutic approaches to reduce gait impairments . To foster standardization of gait data from different studies , GALOP has also recommended a minimum set of outcome measures for evaluating gait in clinical studies in patients with Parkinson ’ s .