1. Background
The number of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related forms of parkinsonism is increasing in all ageing societies [1]. In Western Europe’s five, and the world’s 10 most populous nations, the number of individuals with PD over the age of 50 was between 4.1 and 4.6 million in 2005; these numbers will be doubled by 2030 [1]. Likewise, the costs related to PD care will increase dramatically. PD is a very complex disorder, characterised by a wide array of both motor and nonmotor problems for which medical care alone is insufficient [2–6]. As a reflection of this complexity, no less than 18 different disciplines (e.g., physiotherapy and psychology) may be involved in PD care [7–9]. However, patients often have no access to the allied healthcare required [10]. Moreover, the involvement of various disciplines requires close collaboration and integration of medical and nonmedical care. Great challenges remain in the way multidisciplinary care is best realized for Parkinson patients. But, where to start? The purpose of this paper is to share the various steps we have taken (Figure 1), as they are likely to be feasible for application in other countries.