Standard strategies for diagnosis and treatment of patients with newly diagnosed Parkinson disease

The diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) is for the most part made by neurologists. A survey performed by an Italian patient association estimated that in Italy about 20% of patients with PD ask for a medical consultation 2 years after onset of symptoms. The delay from first consultation (usually with a general practitioner) to diagnosis is around 5–6 months. Up to 80% of patients are referred to a center specialized in movement disorders, either early in the disease course or later, when motor complications appear. PD is for the most part treated by neurologists and there is insufficient exchange of information between the treating neurologist and the patient's general practitioner.