Excellent Choices for Parkinson’s Disease Care
While searching for a movement disorders doctor, I happened upon a government listing for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Centers of Excellence, which fascinated me.
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, PD Centers of Excellence deliver care worldwide to more than 127,000 patients. The centers “advance research to improve the lives of everyone with Parkinson’s treated at centers and beyond, and for future generations.” They also “provide patient education programs, community outreach programs and specialized Parkinson’s training for healthcare professionals.” The movement disorders team at each hospital must fulfill a list of criteria, which in turn leads to these specific centers being recognized by their medical peers as “leaders in PD care.”
The Parkinson’s Foundation says that folks from all the centers come together at least once a year to bring the latest information or offer updates on care initiatives and research. Each center is required to be recertified every three years, in a process that includes looking at the accomplishments of each center.
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I was amazed. The patients who can see a movement disorder specialist in one of these centers must be so well taken care of. I think one of the main reasons is that there are accountability and integrity within these organizations. What does that mean to us as patients? We are better cared for, and the care we receive should be, according to their mission, top quality.
I happened upon a Center of Excellence because one of my doctors was a part of one. I can vouch for the fact that they truly exemplify “excellence.”
If you are not satisfied with the care you are receiving, feel your medical team may not be up to date with the latest care for you as their patient, or you just want to see if a change in care is warranted, get in touch with one near you (see the listings below). It’s definitely worth the call and maybe even the drive.
Centers of Excellence in the United States
Arizona
– Barrow Neurological Institute, Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center
California
– University of Southern California, Parkinson’s Disease and Other Movement Disorders Center
– University of California, San Francisco, Parkinson’s Disease Clinic and Research Center (415) 476-9276
– The Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, (408) 542-5646
District of Columbia
– Georgetown University Hospital, (202) 444-2333
Florida
– University of Florida, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, (352) 273-5550
– University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center
– University of South Florida, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, (813) 844-4547
Georgia
– Health Sciences University, Department of Neurology, (706) 721-2798
Illinois
– Northwestern University, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Chicago, (312) 503-4397
– Rush University Medical Center, Chicago
Kansas
– University of Kansas Medical Center, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center, (913) 588-7179
Kentucky
– University of Louisville, Movement Disorder Program, (502) 852-3655
Maryland
– Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, (410) 955-8795
Massachusetts
– Massachusetts General Hospital, Wang Ambulatory Care Center, (617) 724-9234
– Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, (617) 667-2699
Minnesota
– Struthers Parkinson’s Center, (952)993-5214
New York
– SUNY Downstate Medical Center/Kings County Hospital, Parkinson’s Disease and Related Disorders Clinic, (718) 270-7371
– Beth Israel Medical Center, The Movement Disorders Center, Phillips Ambulatory Care Center, (212) 844-6134
– Columbia University Medical Center, New York
– Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Bendheim Parkinson and Movement Disorder, (212) 241-2477
– NYU Langone Medical Center, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, (646) 505-5744
– University of Rochester Medical Center, Movement and Inherited Neurological Disorders Unit, (585) 276-3987
North Carolina
– University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, (919) 966-5549
– Duke University Medical Center, Department of Neurology, (919) 684-5128
Oregon
– Oregon Health and Science University, Parkinson Center of Oregon, (503) 494-5620
Pennsylvania
– University of Pennsylvania, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, (215) 829-7273
Tennessee
– Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt Parkinson’s Disease Center, (615) 936-5517
Texas
– Baylor College of Medicine, Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, (713) 798-3951
Washington
– Booth Gardner Parkinson’s Care Center, (425) 899-3123
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Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.
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Comments
Don Hoey
Great web site, but we are from Canada so is there any items of interest for us from Canada?
Sherri Woodbridge
Don- There are centers globally. Here are the ones for Canada:
McGill Parkinson Program*
University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre
University of Calgary
University of Alberta*
Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre, University of British Columbia
Toronto Western Hospital Movement Disorders Center*
Good luck!
Rebekah
I live in Chicago and while I take advantage of their outreach, the travesty is that neither of these centers take ACA plans or Medicaid so only the wealthy or those on Medicare can access their doctors. Our medical system is so messed up.
Nancy Kobylarz
I HAVE PARKINSONS AND MILD DEMENTIA. MY NEUROLOGIST SAYS I AM A PUZZLE. MY DOCTOR IS TESTING ME FOR BIPOLAR. YOUR WEBSITE IS GREAT. I AM THINKING OF CALLING THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER CENTER. THANK YOU.
Sherri Woodbridge
Nancy - do call! It may make a world of difference for you!
JOHN HOEFEN
iM NOT SUPRISED TO HEAR OF YOUR EXPERIENCE THERE.i WENT THERE FOR FIVE YEARS FINALY GOT TIRED OF GETTING WORSE. I WEANED MYSELF OFF MOST OF THE MEDS AND NOW TAKE VERY LITTLE CL.
havnt SEEN A NEROLOGIST IN SIX YEARS AND DONG GREAT.
oNE GOOD THING TO KNOW IS YOU CONTROL PD.
tHERE ARE MANY WORSE ALIMENTS TO HAVE.
Kathy Ghousy
My husband is 54 years old and has had Parkinson’s for the last 10 years. Which hospital in America can we go to get a good treatment for him that will work.
Saraswathi Srinivasan (Sarah)
We live in Michigan. I don't see any centers here. what can I do to get help for my husband? His main symptoms are hallucinations and falls that happen out of the blue. Thank you.
Mishka
Good day I am writing to you from South Africa, my mom has Parkinson’s disease she is in a terrible state, the surgeons in our country are postponing her surgery and she is in severe pain and agony daily, we are prepared to fly anywhere in the world to get her the help she needs, we are just tired of the delays she is in her worst stages we will do Anything so she can somehow have a chance at a normal life and normal quality of life
Sherri Woodbridge
Mishra - I wish you the best of luck. Hang in there and don’t give up.
Shreshta saraf
My mother is having symptoms : her foot locks while walking with help of attendant, always look tense,forgetting bits from the things even happened in recent past,getting weak day by day,sleeping problem at night,her hands unable to handle even cup of tea for a long.
Catherine Sayers
My husband was diagnosed Jan 1019 he shuffles and is stooped has a stooped posture and his speech is thick handwriting very small. And has a small hand tremor I notice is getting worse lately. He is doing speech therapy and is no no medications. Seems Drs just gave us the news and then that’s it. He’s still working but we are afraid they will let him go he’s. They are having a hard time understanding him. We live in davie Florida he works in lauderdale. Looking for something that will give us the feeling we r doing something right. We google videos and well. He works comes home and collapses on the couch has dinner and goes to bed.
JOHN HOEFEN
did THEY GIVE HIM CL.tHIS DRUG HAS BEEN AROUND ALONG TIME MY FATHER TOOK IT.yOU DONT NEED MUCH pd IS SORT OF A MALADY YOU CAN OUT SMART.LOL
SORRY YOU RAN INTO COLD DOCTORS THERE ARE GOOD ONES MAYBE FIND ONE THAT WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO HELP COVID PATIENTS.
PD CAN BE BEATEN TRUST ME HAHA
Nancy
I need a great Movement Specialist/neurologist in Plano, Texas. Thank you so much!
Jenny Sydenham
My dad lives in Sweden. Where can I find help for him? Anywhere in Europe? Many thanks, Jenny
Sherri Woodbridge
Hi Jenny - the best place to start would probably be the European Parkinosn’s Disease Assn - here - https://www.epda.eu.com/ and see if you can connect with someone there to get info. Good luck!
Lamar May
My cousin has been diagnosed with Cortico Basal Degeneration. His family is interested in a second opinion at a well recognized center of excellence for that particular spectrum of PD. Can you recommend several places that have experts in that particular form of PD? Would be nice to know the top two or three places. But also, are any of them in the southeast?
Jeff Wade
You have listed the University of Louisville Movement Disorders Program as a Center of Excellence (CE). From that program's website, it appears to me that it is a CE for Huntington's but not for Parkinson's. Is it in fact a CE for Parkinson's?
Thanks.
KHAIRULLO FAIZULLAEV
Hello! I am writing to you from Tajikistan, the city of Dushanbe. My father suffers from PARKINSON'S disease. He is 81 years old. He has a very high stage of Parkinson's disease: deep neurostimulation of the brain. Here in Tajikistan they said that he needed to do an operation with DBS stimulation. How much will this operation cost? How much will the operating costs be?