Feasibility of a Multimodal Telemedical Intervention for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease—A Pilot Study

Abstract

Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) can be controlled well, but treatment often requires expert judgment. Telemedicine and sensor-based assessments can allow physicians to better observe the evolvement of symptoms over time, in particular with motor fluctuations. In addition, they potentially allow less frequent visits to the expert’s office and facilitate care in rural areas. A variety of systems with different strengths and shortcomings has been investigated in recent years. We designed a multimodal telehealth intervention (TelePark) to mitigate the shortcomings of individual systems and assessed the feasibility of our approach in 12 patients with PD over 12 weeks in preparation for a larger randomized controlled trial. TelePark uses video visits, a smartphone app, a camera system, and wearable sensors. Structured training included setting up the equipment in patients’ homes and group-based online training. Usability was assessed by questionnaires and semi-standardized telephone interviews. Overall, 11 out of 12 patients completed the trial (5 female, 6 male). Mean age was 65 years, mean disease duration 7 years, mean MoCA score 27. Adherence was stable throughout the study and 79% for a short questionnaire administered every second day, 62% for medication confirmation, and 33% for an electronic Hauser diary. Quality of life did not change in the course of the study, and a larger cohort will be required to determine the effect on motor symptoms. Interviews with trial participants identified motivations to use such systems and areas for improvements. These insights can be helpful in designing similar trials.