Episode 186: Prioritizing Parkinson’s Care

One of the key missions of the Parkinson’s Foundation is to increase access to high-quality care for everyone living with and affected by Parkinson’s disease (PD). As more people are diagnosed with PD each year, the availability of PD specialists remains limited. During a recent visit to Washington, DC, the Foundation led a National Roundtable on Parkinson’s Care and Innovation with the goal of convening a multidisciplinary group of experts to provide input and help shape the future of PD care. This multi-pronged approach recognizes the importance of having patient-centered care at the forefront of decision making, ensuring that people with Parkinson’s and key community members are actively involved in the conversation.

While the Foundation continues to influence policy at the federal and state level, there are also meaningful steps individuals can take to improve their care. The Foundation encourages people with PD and members of their care team to take an active role in managing their care by being proactive before, during, and after a doctor’s visit.

In this episode, we invite Dr. Kathy Blake, a retired cardiologist and person living with Parkinson’s, and Dr. Sneha Mantri, a movement disorders neurologist and the Chief Medical Officer at the Foundation. Together, they highlight the resources available to help prepare for a doctor’s visit and talk about the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to influence PD care nationwide. They emphasize the importance of self-advocacy and raising awareness about Parkinson’s.

Released: December 9, 2025

Dr. Kathleen Blake is a retired cardiologist and senior health policy advisor, formerly serving as Vice President for Healthcare Quality at the American Medical Association (AMA) until 2021. Her AMA work spanned quality measurement, health equity, medical device policy, AI, cybersecurity, and value-based care. She was co-chair of the Health IT Policy Committee for the Office of the National Coordinator and helped lead the National Evaluation System for Health Technology (NEST). Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017, Dr. Blake is a passionate advocate for Parkinson's patients, serving as vice-chair of the Parkinson’s Patient Advisory Council. She promotes research funding, patient safety, and engagement in hospital care. Dr. Blake earned her medical degree from the University of Chicago and completed her training at Stanford University and Johns Hopkins. She practiced cardiology in New Mexico for over two decades, and is currently a part-time faculty member at Johns Hopkins.
Sneha Mantri, MD, MS, FAAN, is a movement disorders neurologist and Chief Medical Officer of the Parkinson's Foundation. She completed her medical education at Columbia University, residency at the University of Virginia, and movement disorders fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia VA Medical Center.
A nationally-recognized clinician-educator, Dr. Mantri's work has centered on interprofessional education and care initiatives, outreach to underserved communities, and narrative medicine to improve patient-clinician communication. She has published extensively in both medical and lay journals and has been recognized as a Macy Faculty Scholar and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.  At the Foundation, she leads national and international efforts to improve access to care for all people with Parkinson's disease, no matter where they live or how long they've had the disease.