Category: Education in Movement Disorders
Objective: To describe a national interprofessional education model for Parkinson’s disease across the Veterans Health Administration.
Background: In 2000, Congress urged the VHA to establish six Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (PADRECC) to address the needs of Veterans with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The program now includes six Centers of Excellence, 13 regional centers, and over 50 associated sites. To support education across this geographically dispersed network, a National Education Committee was established to deliver coordinated, interprofessional PD education for both healthcare professionals and Veterans.
Method: The National Education Committee made up of an interprofessional team of nurses, social workers, physicians, and administrative staff meets monthly. A two-tiered model provides: (1) National Movement Disorder Series webinars to VA staff nationwide, and (2) locally adapted programs addressing community needs. Shared resources allow customization while maintaining quality. In 2020, PADRECC partnered with the Parkinson’s Foundation to expand education access.
Results: From 2009–2025, 81 webinars reached over 8,000 VA healthcare professionals. Topics included PD fundamentals, advanced therapies, rehabilitation, atypical Parkinsonism, nonmotor symptoms, and nursing care. Participation grew from 50 to over 300 registrants per session. Interprofessional engagement included nurses (15–28%), physical therapists (18–33%), speech-language pathologists (7–29%), occupational therapists (9–13%), social workers (4–10%), and physicians (2–9%). Local sites implemented nursing home partnerships, caregiver programs, and Veteran-requested forums. The Parkinson’s Foundation partnership delivered 19 additional webinars with over 12,000 participants, six digital resources, and training for 130 professionals. Over 20,000 community members engaged through events and resources.
Conclusion: Interprofessional collaboration across dispersed centers can deliver sustained, high-quality PD education at scale. This two-tiered model offers a replicable framework for healthcare systems seeking to expand movement disorder education.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
E. Wong, A. Li Wong, G. Glenn. A National Interprofessional Model for Parkinson’s Disease Education: Over 20 Years of Collaborative Learning Across the Veterans Health Administration [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2026; 41 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/a-national-interprofessional-model-for-parkinsons-disease-education-over-20-years-of-collaborative-learning-across-the-veterans-health-administration/. Accessed October 1, 2026.« Back to 2026 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/a-national-interprofessional-model-for-parkinsons-disease-education-over-20-years-of-collaborative-learning-across-the-veterans-health-administration/