The Promise of Telemedicine for Movement Disorders: an Interdisciplinary Approach

the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Telemedicine Task Force

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose of Review: Advances in technology have expanded telemedicine opportunities covering medical practice, research, and education. This is of particular importance in movement disorders (MDs), where the combination of disease progression, mobility limitations, and the sparse distribution of MD specialists increase the difficulty to access. In this review, we discuss the prospects, challenges, and strategies for telemedicine in MDs. Recent Findings: Telemedicine for MDs has been mainly evaluated in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and compared to in-office care is cost-effective with similar clinical care, despite the barriers to engagement. However, particular groups including pediatric patients, rare MDs, and the use of telemedicine in underserved areas need further research. Summary: Interdisciplinary telemedicine and tele-education for MDs are feasible, provide similar care, and reduce travel costs and travel time compared to in-person visits. These benefits have been mainly demonstrated for PD but serve as a model for further validation in other movement disorders.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number26
JournalCurrent neurology and neuroscience reports
Volume18
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2018

Keywords

  • Movement disorders
  • Tele-education
  • Telehealth
  • Telemedicine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Clinical Neurology

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