Optimizing sialorrhea management in Parkinson’s disease: a patient journey mapping approach

TL;DR

This study uses patient journey mapping to identify challenges in managing sialorrhea in Parkinson’s disease, aiming to improve patient-centered care.

Contribution

The study introduces a patient journey mapping approach to optimize sialorrhea management in Parkinson’s disease.

Findings

Patient journey mapping revealed four key stages and 32 themes in sialorrhea management.

Key issues include knowledge gaps, communication barriers, emotional ambivalence, and adherence challenges.

The map highlights critical pain points for improving care delivery and service design.

Abstract

A troubling non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD), sialorrhea greatly lowers quality of life and raises the risk of aspiration. But today’s clinical care is frequently disjointed. Although patient trip mapping provides a comprehensive method for identifying care gaps, its use in sialorrhea nursing strategy optimization is still somewhat unexplored.

The purpose of this study is to use a thorough patient journey mapping methodology to clarify the unique difficulties and unfulfilled requirements that PD patients with sialorrhea have during their clinical management route. The resulting insights will be essential for directing the development of customized therapeutic interventions, guaranteeing the best possible patient-centered care.

The design used was descriptive qualitative. Ten PD patients with sialorrhea who were recruited through local Parkinson’s disease patient associations or community networks in Qingdao City (July–September 2025) participated in semi-structured interviews. The data was subjected to thematic content analysis in order to outline the needs and experiences of the participants along the sialorrhea management pathway. The results were used to create a thorough patient path map.

Thematic analysis yielded 32 themes to construct a patient journey map (PJM)—a patient-centered visualization of care stages, actions, and emotional trajectories. The journey spans four stages: pre-consultation, consultation, treatment, and long-term management. Key findings include: (1) significant knowledge gaps pre-consultation; (2) communication hindered by complex jargon; (3) emotional ambivalence (hope vs. guilt) during treatment; and (4) adherence challenges due to stigma. This PJM effectively highlights critical pain points to guide service improvements.

To sum up, the created patient journey map provides clinical personnel with an easy-to-use visual platform. The timely identification and strategic design of focused therapies are made possible by its effective delineation of patients’ sialorrhea management requirements and crucial pain locations across various phases. For people with PD and sialorrhea, this tool is crucial to maximizing the delivery of patient-centered care.

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