ABSTRACT
Parkinson's disease (PD) has a considerable impact upon the mental, emotional and physical well-being of those affected. This chapter investigates models of care, and introduces some of the concepts of disease management applied to PD. It explores the context of the economics of providing this care and treatment, and the concept that appropriate team-working and disease management from diagnosis onwards can deliver better care by preventing or solving many of the problems that this disease may cause. The chapter examines the issues involved in planning and delivering these services, and offer some solutions to the challenges raised. It discusses the principles that refer to all causes of parkinsonism, since the problems of patients with parkinsonism are often similar to those of patients with PD, and the patients will often present with that diagnosis although their prognosis and response to treatment differs.
