Major Gaps in Care and Management of Neurologic Diseases.

A study presented at the 2024 annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) revealed major gaps in the care and management of neurologic disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States. The study found that patients with Parkinson's disease were referred to a specialist most often, followed by those with MS and Alzheimer's disease. The national shortage of neurologists, coupled with the increasing prevalence of these conditions, has led to calls for expanding the role of primary care physicians in diagnosing and managing neurologic disorders. The study also highlighted variations in wait times for patients and geographic gaps in specialist referrals across the country. [Extracted from the article]