Indu Subramanian, MD: Social Prescribing for Patients With Parkinson Disease

“I think it’s quite important to care about what patients care about and be more patient-centered.”

At the 2020 MDS Virtual Congress, September 12–16, 2020, data from a survey study of more than 1700 patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease from the CAM Care PD study were presented that suggested that loneliness and social isolation can be risk factors for worsened disease severity.

The results, while enlightening, also provide some perspective on the importance of patient-centric outcomes and measures. For lead author Indu Subramanian, MD, director, VA Southwest Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Centers, and the Department of Neurology, UCLA, this is a critical part of improving the complete care of these patients. Particularly so with the future prevalence of Parkinson disease appearing to be constantly increasing in the coming years.

In an interview with NeurologyLive, Subramanian explained how social prescribing—the literal prescription of social interventions for patients—can play a key role in the care of lonely patients. She also detailed how conversations with patients and staying patient-focused with measures can improve the overall state of care for Parkinson disease.

For more coverage of MDS 2020, click here.

REFERENCE
Subramanian I, Mischley L, Farahnik J. Loneliness/Social Isolation as a Risk Factor for Worsened Parkinson Disease Severity. Presented at MDS Virtual Congress; September 12–16, 2020.