Ohio State Wexner Medical Center designated as a Parkinson's Foundation Comprehensive Care Center

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio –  The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has been invited to join the Parkinson’s Foundation Global Care Network as a Comprehensive Care Center. 

 

“The Parkinson’s Foundation Comprehensive Care Center designation symbolizes leadership in providing high-quality Parkinson’s care,” said John Lehr, president and chief executive officer of the Parkinson’s Foundation. “Ohio State Wexner Medical Center plays an integral role in advancing care for the one million Americans currently living with Parkinson’s disease.”

 

The Parkinson’s Foundation’s Comprehensive Care Center designation recognizes 10 medical centers nationwide that excel in utilizing a specialized, multidisciplinary team approach to provide the highest level of evidence-based, patient-centered care; demonstrate leadership in professional training and conduct impactful patient education and community outreach. Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is the only hospital system in Ohio with this designation.  

 

“Our team is thrilled to become a Comprehensive Care Center,” said Ariane Park, MD, co-director of Ohio State’s Center for Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders. “It’s a validation of our efforts and allows us to join the Parkinson’s Foundation’s Global Network, which is a consortium of centers worldwide that adheres to the highest standards of care for Parkinson’s disease patients. With this designation, we are dedicated to continuing to bring the most innovative, up-to-date treatments, research options and information to our PD community here in central Ohio and beyond.”

 

This designation recognizes Ohio State’s comprehensive approach to treating patients with Parkinson’s with a multidisciplinary team that includes neurologists who specialize in movement disorders and work collaboratively with mental health, speech, occupational and physical therapists.

 

“When medicine takes care of Parkinson’s, it’s a focused intervention. As a neurologist, I adjust a patient’s medication, prescribe physical therapy and discuss diagnosis and prognosis. But what’s left is a lot of gaps that I will not be able to address because the patient walks out of a visit from me with all these questions about ‘What does this mean for me? For my life? For my job? For my family?’ The Parkinson’s Foundation has made it it’s mission to fill in all of those gaps,” said Pietro Mazzoni, MD, PhD, co-director of Ohio State’s Center for 

Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders. “Patients who come here for treatment get access to many resources that extend beyond our center to support groups, community events and information on the Parkinson’s Foundation website.” 

 

Each Center is required to meet rigorous care, clinical research, professional training, community education and outreach criteria.

 

“I’m gratified by the excellence of our multidisciplinary team here at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, and I believe that the Parkinson’s Foundation’s recognition is very well deserved,” said Benjamin Segal, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Neurology and co-director of the Neurological Institute at Ohio State. 

 

Parkinson’s disease affects nearly one million Americans and 10 million worldwide. It is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and the 14th-leading cause of death in the United States. The incurable disease is associated with a progressive loss of motor control such as shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression, as well as non-motor symptoms including depression and anxiety. Each year about 60,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the United States. 

 

For a complete listing of Centers of Excellence and Comprehensive Care Centers, visit Parkinson.org/Network or call 1-800-4PD-INFO. 

 

Caption for the photo: (left to right): Pietro Mazzoni, MD, co-director of Division of Parkinson’s Disease and Other Movement Disorders; Ariane Park, MD, co-director of Division of Parkinson’s Disease and Other Movement Disorders; Laura Summers, Community Program Manager, Parkinson's Foundation; Benjamin Segal, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology and Co-director of the Neurological Institute. 

 

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Media Contact: Eileen Scahill, Wexner Medical Center Media Relations, Eileen.Scahill@osumc.edu