Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Centers

In 2001, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) created six specialized centers known as the Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Centers or "PADRECCs". These Centers of Excellence are designed to serve the estimated 110,000 veterans affected by PD through state-of-the-art clinical care, education, research, and national outreach and advocacy. The PADRECCs are staffed by internationally known movement disorder specialists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, researchers, educators, social workers, and other PD experts. The PADRECCs are located in Philadelphia, Richmond, Houston, West Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland/Seattle. The PADRECCs assist veterans in effectively managing PD and other movement disorders by way of VA pharmacy benefits, physical, occupational, and speech therapies, medical equipment, surgical services, and other valuable resources.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, neurological disease, commonly referred to as a movement disorder. It is caused by a loss of dopamine producing cells in the brain. Classic motor symptoms of PD include tremor during rest, stiff limbs, slowness of movement, and gait and balance problems that progress over time. Non-motor symptoms, such as sleep disturbances, urinary dysfunction, constipation, swallowing problems, mood disorders, and cognitive deficits, can occur as well. There is currently no cure for PD, however, many effective medications and treatment options are available.
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The PADRECCs treat veterans with other types of movement disorders in addition to PD. "Parkinsonism" is the generic term used to refer to slowness and mobility problems that mimic PD. Movement disorders are a group of neurological illnesses affecting one’s ability to produce and/or control movement. Other diagnoses commonly treated by the PADRECCs include essential tremor (ET), restless leg syndrome (RLS), dystonia, atypical parkinsonian disorders or "parkinson plus" syndromes (such as Lewy body disease (LBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and corticobasal degeneration (CBD)).

A PADRECC Associated Site is a VA clinic that offers specialized PD and movement disorder specialty care to veterans who cannot travel to a PADRECC. These Centers are staffed by movement disorder specialists or clinicians with vast experience and/or interest in the field of movement disorders. Over 50 PADRECC Associated Sites work collaboratively with the PADRECCs to ensure the highest level of care for all veterans.
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The RPMDCs are VA multidisciplinary clinics staffed with movement disorder fellowship trained neurologists, that serve as a VISN resource for PD specialty consultation and education; and extend the reach of specialty care for PD and related disorders to Veterans who cannot travel to a PADRECC. They provide specialty care including but not limited to chemodenervation therapy for movement disorders and post-operative management of Veterans with deep brain stimulation (including stimulator programming and adjustment).
Locate a RPMDC