Press Release
Luxembourg’s innovative ParkinsonNet seeks to enroll new members
According to current estimates, up to 4,000 people are living with Parkinson’s disease in Luxembourg. However, the majority are not yet enrolled in ParkinsonNet and therefore do not benefit from access to innovative treatments and specialised care, which are offered at no additional cost to ParkinsonNet members.
ParkinsonNet provides the best treatment available, based on the latest scientific research. Thanks to the structure of ParkinsonNet—where different healthcare professionals closely collaborate—people with Parkinson’s have near-instant access to new treatment options based on the most recent clinical research and international expert practice.
Unfortunately, not all Parkinson’s patients in Luxembourg are aware of the unique setup we have here. However, it can make a huge difference for those affected and dramatically improve their quality of life. We have capacity to enrol everyone who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and we would like to encourage them to join,
says Sylvia Herbrink, care management coordinator at ParkinsonNet.
“Our mission is to offer access to the best care for everyone diagnosed with Parkinson’s in Luxembourg. It is important to know that enrolment by a ParkinsonNet neurologist is a prerequisite for benefiting from integrated multidisciplinary care. Luxembourg is leading globally with this initiative, as the first country to have a nationwide care network fully integrated into the healthcare system. People with Parkinson’s in Luxembourg are truly privileged to pioneer advanced, integrated care for Parkinson’s disease,” says neurologist Professor Dr Rejko Krüger, the medical coordinator of the Réseau de Compétences Maladies Neurodégénératives/ParkinsonNet.
People with Parkinson’s need tailored and personalised care, as the disease progresses differently in each case. Symptoms can be very diverse, ranging from motor issues such as tremors and rigidity to non-motor complaints such as indigestion, blood pressure fluctuations and memory problems.
Within ParkinsonNet, expert neurologists, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dietitians and psychologists systematically exchange information to determine the best ways of care. Together, they develop an individual treatment plan tailored to each patient’s needs and personal environment.
To become a certified ParkinsonNet Luxembourg practitioner, healthcare professionals need to complete a three-day fundamental training and commit to continuing education, which is not yet standard practice in Luxembourg. Currently, there are 140 health professionals in ParkinsonNet.
“ParkinsonNet. Network of expertise on neurodegenerative diseases” (Réseau de compétences maladies neurodégénératives) has been fully active in Luxembourg since 2018.
About ParkinsonNet
ParkinsonNet Luxembourg is a competence network consisting of neurologists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and people with Parkinson’s disease or other forms of parkinsonism, in which they are treated in an integrated, quality-assured and coordinated care concept according to the international state-of-the-art. The aim is therefore to offer people with Parkinson’s an optimal evidence-based treatment in accordance with current scientific findings thereby improving their quality of life.