Telemedicine in Parkinson's Disease: How to Ensure Patient Needs and Continuity of Care at the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: With the spread of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, telemedicine has become the safest way to guarantee care continuity, especially for chronic disabling diseases requiring frequent medical consultations and therapeutic adjustments, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). The age-related prevalence of PD, combined with increased vulnerability due to age-related comorbidities, makes PD patients protection a priority. Methodology: We reviewed potentials and limitations of teleneurology in PD and suggested a specific battery of tests, including patient-reported outcomes, smartphone applications, and neurological examination through telemedicine. Conclusions: These tools can provide full neurological consultations, with the engagement of both patients and caregivers, and can support clinicians in defining whether patients need to access diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Telemedicine will also carry a value in the future, within conventional health care, to support clinicians in decision making, enabling more efficacious follow-up, reducing burden for caregivers, and delivering neurological expertise to local realities. These advantages are very important when there is physical distance between patients and neurologists, and when patients are not recommended to attend in-person consultations.

Keywords: Parkinson disease; pandemic; telemedicine COVID-19.