nurce practicioner vs. neuro for pd

[6780]

do you think a nurse practicioner is as good as neuro for pd?

[Hidden]

yes, for general care

[honeycombe3]

Things may be different in the UK - I think you are from USA. The two roles have different functions which complement each other. My consultant is a geriatrician with a special interest in PD. He has involved my husband & I in trials from first dx 12 years ago so we are usually up to date with advances. I see him twice a year & my PD nurse twice so effectively I have 4 clinics a year. Communication between the two & my GP is excellent. The nurse has won awards for her outstanding support for PwP. Her role is more hands-on: she helps with form filling & information generally, liaises with support groups & services & makes home visits.

The more technical aspects of managing PD are the responsibility of the consultant so the combined skills of the two make for a balanced support programme.

[6780 in reply to honeycombe3]

i feel the same way semi annual with neuro and np support.

unfortunately i am hearing anecdotely that since in the usa medicare has chopped payments to doctors to so little money per visit fewer doctors want medicare patients. i can't blame them. now in large practices a new doctor or np will take the medicare patients and free doctors time up for more lucative patients. we all need their expertise and they only have 24 hrs a day same as all of us.

in my experience it is discusting how little medicare wants to pay doctors and even more discusting how a drug cost in usa can be raised 10x over the previous month cost and medicare doesn't negotiate these costs down.

[M_rosew]

No, their roles are quite different so you need both. Ideally they will be in the same neurology team (which might also include Neuro Physios, OTs, Speach Therapists etc).

M

[stevie3]

I'm in the UK and the system is as Honeycombe describes. My experience with my PD nurses has been less than positive, sadly, because it's a great system - the PD nurses are able to give you support that your neuro, running a busy clinic, may not be able to offer. I just struck unlucky, I think, with the nurses, although my neuro is excellent.

[Sane1]

I work with MD's and PA" and NP's not in PD specialty but in Emergency Medicine. I find like any specialty it is not the title but the person behind it that matters. I know MD's whom I would not let near me or my family and PA's /NP's who I would trust my life to literally.