Parkinson's disease. Diagnosis and treatment

Although Parkinson's disease is primarily a neurologic disorder, primary care physicians should be knowledgeable about the disease and its treatment because most patients will see their primary care physician first for their symptoms. Furthermore, in today's setting of managed care, primary care physicians will likely be called on even more to assume primary responsibility for the treatment of patients afflicted with Parkinson's disease; neurologists will likely play the role of consultants who see a patient only periodically and offer recommendations and advice for the primary care physicians to implement.