Luxembourg Skills Network Aims to Improve Care of Patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases

Luxembourg has created a new skills network aimed at offering better care for patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Following a successful pilot project that ran over the past six years and integrating the scientific advances of the National Centre of Excellence in Research on Parkinson's Disease (NCER-PD), the neurodegenerative diseases skills network (Réseau de Compétences Maladies Neurodégénératives - RdC-MN) "ParkinsonNet Luxembourg" launched on Tuesday 26 September 2023, in the presence of Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Paulette Lenert, and the Minister for Higher Education and Research, Claude Meisch.

Faced with an ageing population and a sharp rise in the number of people living with neurodegenerative diseases, a joint effort between the healthcare system and scientific research is deemed necessary. "With this new network, we will ensure that each patient is optimally cared for, based on the latest scientific advances," stated Minister Lenert during the inauguration of the RdC-MN. "ParkinsonNet will initially target people suffering from Parkinson's disease as well as atypical parkinsonian syndromes. The concept will then be gradually extended to other neurodegenerative diseases."

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, are very complex and can progress differently for each patient. "Due to this complexity, people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases need adapted and personalised care," explained Professor Dr Rejko Krüger, neurologist and medical coordinator of the RdC-MN at the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL).

Prof. Dr Krüger is one of the initiators of ParkinsonNet Luxembourg, a concept developed by Prof. Bas Bloem and Dr Marten Munneke of the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen (Netherlands), which was then adapted to Luxembourg.

ParkinsonNet is characterised by close collaboration between healthcare professionals and by increased communication with those involved in scientific research. The neurologists, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists who are part of the healthcare team systematically discuss matters for better monitoring of people with Parkinson's disease. In the near future, the network will also include other health professions such as nutritionists and psychologists, as well as social workers. Together, the members of this multidisciplinary team establish an individual treatment plan adapted to the needs of each patient and taking into account their personal environment. In addition, they regularly follow additional training courses in order to stay informed of the latest scientific advances.

"This ensures optimal care both for patients monitored at home and for those treated in hospital," explained Dr Romain Nati, Director General of CHL, the main coordinator of the RdC-MN.

"Luxembourg is well placed, thanks to its digital health strategy, to ensure a good connection between the different partners in the health system," added Dr Jean-Claude Schmit, Director of Health. "With the new RdC-MN, digital support for care management is implemented for the first time, for the care of people with Parkinson’s disease."

ParkinsonNet is currently developing new solutions for network digitalisation with Prof. Jochen Klucken, holder of the FNR PEARL Chair for Digital Medicine.

Minister Meisch addressed the role of science: "Knowledge in neuroscience continues to progress and Luxembourg is now established internationally as an important player in this field. We work on an equal footing with leading research institutions, especially through the National Centre of Excellence in Research on Parkinson's Disease [...]. With the new skills network, the results obtained by researchers will now be able to be quickly integrated into the care of patients in Luxembourg and thus improve the daily life of people suffering from Parkinson's disease."

The Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) laid the foundations for the new skills network by establishing NCER-PD as the first National Center of Excellence in Research eight years ago. "Thanks to this large-scale research programme, involving many participants from Luxembourg and the Greater Region, with or without Parkinson's disease, we now know much more about this disease," noted FNR Secretary General Marc Schiltz.

Partners involved in the Rdc-MN include: Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL); Hôpitaux Robert Schuman; Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch (CHEM); Centre Hospitalier du Nord (CHdN); University of Luxembourg; Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH); Société Luxembourgeoise de Neurologie; Luxembourg's Ministry of Health / Health Directorate; ParkinsonNet International; Parkinson Luxembourg asbl; members of ParkinsonNet Luxembourg (currently 71 physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and neurologists).