Eric Aquino to unveil Parkinson’s emergency protocol at ATMRD 2026

By AI, Created 1:17 PM UTC, May 26, 2026, /AGP/ – Advanced EMT and Parkinson’s advocate Eric Aquino will debut the T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol at a major Washington, D.C., movement-disorders congress June 4–8. The framework aims to give EMS and emergency department teams a standardized way to handle Parkinson’s medication timing, symptom changes and handoffs.

Why it matters: - Parkinson’s disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, yet emergency departments and EMS teams often lack Parkinson’s-specific response protocols. - Medication timing, symptom recognition and handoff communication can directly affect outcomes when a Parkinson’s patient needs urgent care. - A standardized emergency framework could help close a gap between movement-disorder care and prehospital medicine.

What happened: - Eric Aquino, an Advanced EMT and founder of Gray Strong Foundation, will debut the T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol at the 5th Annual Advanced Therapeutics in Movement & Related Disorders Congress. - The congress runs June 4–8, 2026, in Washington, D.C. - Aquino will present the protocol as a scientific poster to neurologists, advanced practice providers, rehabilitation specialists, researchers and patient advocates from the U.S. and abroad. - Aquino developed the framework from his experience as both an emergency medical professional and a person living with early-onset Parkinson’s disease.

The details: - T.I.M.I.N.G. is a six-step emergency care approach for Parkinson’s-related situations. - T — Track Medication Schedule: document the last dose time and the next dose due time. - I — Identify Symptom State: determine whether the patient is in an “ON” period or an “OFF” period. - M — Map All Medications: record names, doses, formulations and intervals, and make sure medication information travels with the patient. - I — Integrate PD Care with ABC: align Parkinson’s medication timing with airway, breathing and circulation priorities. - N — Navigate with Patient as Expert: use patients and caregivers as key sources for baseline function, routines and symptom patterns. - G — Guarantee Handoff Communication: pass along medication timing, symptom state and Parkinson’s-specific observations during transfer of care. - Aquino said missed medication timing, overlooked symptoms and communication failures can escalate emergencies quickly. - The framework is intended to improve emergency response, continuity of care and patient outcomes. - There is no widely adopted standardized prehospital assessment model for Parkinson’s disease across most EMS systems. - The protocol aims to align emergency practices with principles already recognized by neurologists and Parkinson’s specialists. - The ATMRD Congress is organized by PMD Alliance in partnership with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. - The conference is one of the leading annual gatherings focused on treatment and care for Parkinson’s disease and related movement disorders. - Aquino has spent nearly two decades in EMS in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. - Aquino was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease in his early forties. - Gray Strong Foundation, founded in 2018, connects individuals and families to specialized care resources, exercise and speech therapy programs, educational materials and community support. - Aquino is inviting EMS agencies, hospital systems, neurology practices and healthcare leaders to explore pilot opportunities and implementation partnerships. - More information is available through ATMRD and Gray Strong Foundation.

Between the lines: - Aquino is trying to turn a personal care gap into a practical workflow for frontline responders. - The pitch is not just awareness. It is implementation, with a focus on training, handoffs and medication discipline. - The timing suggests growing pressure to treat Parkinson’s as a condition that also requires emergency-system readiness, not only specialist management.

What’s next: - Aquino is available for interviews before and during ATMRD 2026. - EMS agencies and health systems can pursue pilot and training partnerships for the protocol. - The poster presentation could become a first step toward broader adoption if hospitals and EMS systems pilot the framework.

The bottom line: - Aquino wants Parkinson’s care in emergencies to move from ad hoc judgment to a repeatable protocol.