A new study shows that a neurologist in an office thousands of miles away can deliver effective specialized care to people with Parkinson’s disease. For individuals with the condition – many of whom have never seen a specialist – these “virtual house calls” could allow them to live independently...........................
“We have an ample supply of neurologists in the country to take care of people with Parkinson’s, but because of distance, disability, and the distribution of doctors, many patients have a difficult time seeing a specialist,” said Dorsey.
Working with PatientsLikeMe, the study invited individuals with Parkinson’s who lived in the five states where Dorsey is licensed to practice medicine – California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, and New York – to receive one free telemedicine consultation in the comfort of their own home.
The participants downloaded secure web-based video conferencing software developed by California-basedVidyo. The technology, which is akin to Skype, only requires an Internet connected computer and a webcam.