The Queen’s Medical Center
Neuroscience Institute Outpatient Center
Physicians Office Building 3 (POB3)
550 South Beretania Street
Suite 503
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone:
808-691-8866
Fax:
808-691-8865
Hours:
Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm
» Conditions & Treatments » Neuroscience » Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center
The Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center at The Queen’s Medical Center Neuroscience Institute provides a multi-disciplinary program dedicated to comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders. We believe in a team-based approach, which includes highly trained movement specialists (neurosurgeons and neurologists), ancillary providers, and staff.
Our Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center is Hawai‘i’s first and only Comprehensive Care Center that is accredited by the Parkinson’s Foundation and a part of their Global Care Network. The Parkinson’s Foundation recognizes medical facilities with specialized, multi-disciplinary teams that provide evidence-based PD care. Each center is required to meet rigorous care standards, professional training, community education, and outreach criteria.
Additionally, our Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center is one of 30 centers to carry the CurePSP Center of Care (CoC) distinction. The CurePSP CoC program is a network of specialized medical centers across the United States and Canada that enhances equitable access to accurate and early diagnosis, high-quality clinical care, and comprehensive support for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and multiple system atrophy (MSA).
The Global Care Network and CurePSP Center of Care designations mean that patients in Hawai‘i do not have to travel to the mainland for advanced care for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. We are able to provide all the services patients may need for the treatment of even the most complex movement disorders.
If you or your loved one is ready to explore treatment options for Parkinson’s and other movement disorders, contact the Queen’s Neuroscience department today at 808-691-8866.
Movement disorders include a wide range of neurological illnesses and conditions that affect the basal ganglia and movement circuit of the brain.
The best-known movement disorder is Parkinson’s disease, but there are many others:
The Queen’s Parkinson and Movement Disorder Center has the widest range of treatment for neurological movement disorders in Hawaii.
Our highly trained team of physical, occupational, and speech therapists work closely with community therapists to make appropriate referrals depending on your geographic location and treatment needs.
There are over 25 FDA-approved medications for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.
But these medications can cause negative side effects. Dosages often need to be adjusted to help prevent complications. Medications for movement disorders also have a number of different delivery systems: tablets, capsules, dissolving tablets, skin patches, inhalers, subcutaneous injections, and dissolvable films.
For some patients with Parkinson’s and other movement disorders, it may be necessary to combine medications.
The complex medication management for your movement disorder is best handled by Queen’s neurologists who specialize in these disorders.
Botulinum toxin (botox) is a relaxant injected directly into your muscles. If you suffer from blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, cervical dystonia, writer’s cramp and spastic hemiplegia, you will likely benefit from botox therapy.
Botox therapy is considered safe when performed by a doctor.
Duopa therapy is a continuous gel infusion of carbidopa/levodopa. Rather than taking a pill, dopamine is delivered through a tube into your intestine.
This therapy provides a smooth absorption of medicine and can reduce symptoms of motor fluctuations and dyskinesia if you have advanced Parkinson’s disease.
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery is a procedure where a neurostimulation device (similar to a pacemaker) is implanted in your brain to deliver electrical pulses.
Electrodes are placed in specific areas of the brain in order to treat the symptoms of neurological movement disorders. Connected by non-invasive wires that travel under the skin and down the neck to a battery-operated stimulator under the collarbone, electrical pulses from your DBS device regulate and lessen abnormal movements associated with movement disorders.
DBS surgery was approved by the FDA for the treatment of essential tremor in 1997, and it was approved for Parkinson’s disease in 2002. Since 2002, Queen’s Parkison’s and Movement Disorder Center has been performing DBS surgery with great success.
Robert Fitzgerald’s Story with Deep Brain Stimulation
The Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center at The Queen’s Health System Neuroscience Institute is engaged in cutting-edge research to better treat our patients.
Additionally, since 2001, we have hosted The Queen’s Movement Disorder Video Conference on a bimonthly basis. Partnering with movement disorder experts at the University of Virginia, we share our findings with people outside of Hawai’i.
We are participating in the Trial of Parkinson’s and Zoledronic Acid (TOPAZ) to learn more about how to prevent fractures in those suffering from Parkinson’s.
Collaborating with researchers from such institutions as Duke University and the Parkinson’s Foundation, we seek to understand the effect of a single infusion of zoledronic acid-5 mg in preventing fractures.
Our research into racial and ethnic disparities in care for Parkinson’s among Asian American, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders will help ensure that these groups gain better access to high-quality care.
To facilitate this study, the Michael J. Fox Foundation recently awarded the Queen’s Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder Center a $387,000 grant.
In partnership with Hawai’i Parkinson Association, our Center received a Hawai’i State grant to start a Movement Disorder Fellowship in 2023. We believe in educating the next generation of neurologists to become experts in assessment and treatment of movement disorders.
We strongly believe in self-empowerment. Exercise and lifestyle are the most important therapies for Parkinson’s disease. It allows patients to maintain the highest level of function possible. We highly encourage the discussion of lifestyle (diet, sleep, and bowel habit) and exercise during visits as we tailor individualized programs.
Through collaboration with various organizations and coordination of care through Queen’s Clinically Integrate Physician Network (QCIPN) and Queen’s Geriatric Services, our goal is to help patients achieve the best quality of life while living with Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders.
Some of our collaborative efforts include:
And coordination of care through Queen’s Clinically Integrated Physician Network (QCIPN) and Queen’s Geriatric Services, our goal is to help patients achieve the best quality of life while living with Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders.
Have questions about Parkinson’s? Download this FREE guide from the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Parkinson’s Foundation
Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s
The Michael J. Fox Foundation
If you or a loved one has Parkinson’s or another movement disorder, you are not alone. One of the major misconceptions about Parkinson’s is that it is hopeless.
With the right medication, exercise, and lifestyle, along with possible surgical interventions, you can live a full, rich life with Parkinson’s or any other neurological movement disorder.
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1301 Punchbowl Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
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