Advanced EMT Living With Parkinson’s Introduces First Emergency Framework for Parkinson’s Care at National Congress

Gray Strong Foundation founder Eric Aquino to debut the T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol at ATMRD 2026, advancing Parkinson’s emergency care

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, May 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Despite Parkinson’s disease being the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, emergency departments and EMS providers often operate without Parkinson’s-specific assessment and response protocols. Advanced EMT, Parkinson’s advocate, and Gray Strong Foundation founder Eric Aquino is working to change that.

Aquino will debut the T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol, a structured emergency care framework designed to help EMS providers and emergency department teams better recognize and respond to the unique clinical challenges associated with Parkinson’s disease, at the 5th Annual Advanced Therapeutics in Movement & Related Disorders^® (ATMRD) Congress, taking place June 4–8, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

Developed through Aquino’s dual perspective as both a longtime emergency medical professional and a person living with early-onset Parkinson’s disease, the protocol introduces a practical, six-step approach intended to improve emergency response, continuity of care, and patient outcomes.

“Emergency systems aren’t built for the complexity of Parkinson’s,” said Aquino. “When medication timing is missed, when subtle symptoms are overlooked, or when communication breaks down, the consequences can escalate quickly. The T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol gives providers a clear, practical way to recognize and respond before a situation becomes critical.”

The T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol provides EMS and emergency department teams with a structured approach to Parkinson’s-related emergency care:

T — Track Medication Schedule
Document when the patient’s last dose was taken and when the next dose is due. Record exact times.
I — Identify Symptom State
Determine whether the patient is in an “ON” period (medication working) or “OFF” period (symptoms returning or worsening).
M — Map All Medications
Catalog Parkinson’s medications, including names, doses, formulations, and intervals, and ensure medication information accompanies the patient.
I — Integrate PD Care with ABC
Manage Parkinson’s medication timing alongside standard Airway, Breathing, and Circulation priorities.
N — Navigate with Patient as Expert
Engage patients and caregivers as key sources of baseline function, medication routines, and symptom patterns.
G — Guarantee Handoff Communication
Communicate medication timing, symptom state, and Parkinson’s-specific observations during transfer of care and advocate for on-time medication administration.

The framework is intended to bridge a longstanding gap between emergency medicine and movement disorder care by aligning prehospital and emergency response practices with principles already recognized by neurologists and Parkinson’s specialists.

Currently, there is no widely adopted, standardized prehospital assessment model specifically designed for Parkinson’s disease across most EMS systems.
At ATMRD 2026, Aquino will present the protocol as a scientific poster to an audience of movement disorder neurologists, advanced practice providers, rehabilitation specialists, researchers, and patient advocates from across the United States and internationally.

Organized by PMD Alliance in partnership with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, the ATMRD Congress is recognized as one of the leading annual conferences focused on advancing treatment and care for Parkinson’s disease and related movement disorders.

Based in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, Aquino has spent nearly two decades in emergency medical services while living with early-onset Parkinson’s disease, diagnosed in his early forties. Since launching the Gray Strong Foundation in 2018, he has become a nationally recognized advocate for people living with Parkinson’s, particularly younger-onset patients and families navigating care.

Aquino has been recognized by organizations including the HollyRod Foundation, honored by the City of Bethlehem for expanding Parkinson’s resources across the Lehigh Valley, named a Lehigh Valley Style Influential Man of the Year, and serves as an ambassador for The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Through Gray Strong Foundation, Aquino connects individuals and families to specialized care resources, exercise and speech therapy programs, educational materials, and community support designed to help people #MoveForwardWithParkinsons.

Aquino is currently inviting EMS agencies, hospital systems, neurology practices, and healthcare leaders to explore pilot opportunities and implementation partnerships for the T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol.

“Parkinson’s is already showing up in emergency calls every day,” Aquino added. “The question is whether we’re ready for it.”

For more information about ATMRD, visit atmrd.org.
To learn more about the T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol or request training, visit graystrong.org.

Interview Availability:
Eric Aquino is available for interviews before and during ATMRD 2026 to discuss:
• Living and working in emergency medicine with early-onset Parkinson’s disease
• The development of the T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol and improving emergency response for Parkinson’s patients
• Why medication timing and communication matter in Parkinson’s care
• The growing need for Parkinson’s education across EMS and hospital systems
• Patient advocacy, storytelling, and building Gray Strong Foundation

Media interviews may be conducted virtually or onsite in Washington, D.C.

About Eric Aquino
Eric Aquino is an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and first‑generation American whose early-onset Parkinson’s diagnosis transformed his career in emergency medicine into a national platform for advocacy, education, and creative storytelling. Founder of the Gray Strong Foundation and ambassador for The Michael J. Fox Foundation, he has been recognized by the HollyRod Foundation, the City of Bethlehem, and leading Parkinson’s organizations for his work to help individuals and families #MoveForwardWithParkinsons. Aquino hosts the Trembling EMT podcast, authored the dystopian thriller Project Dopa, and is presenting the T.I.M.I.N.G. Protocol as a poster at the 5th Annual ATMRD Congress in Washington, D.C.

About Gray Strong Foundation
Gray Strong Foundation helps individuals #MoveForwardWithParkinsons by providing medical and program resource support for Parkinson’s patients and their families, with a focus on exercise, education, and community. Founded by EMT and Parkinson’s advocate Eric Aquino, the foundation raises awareness and funding through educational events, community partnerships, digital storytelling, and tools such as the Trembling EMT podcast, therapeutic coloring books, and bilingual health materials. Visit graystrong.org for more information.

About the ATMRD Congress
The Advanced Therapeutics in Movement & Related Disorders^® (ATMRD) Congress is an annual clinical education conference organized by PMD Alliance in partnership with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. The 5th Annual Congress takes place June 4–8, 2026, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., bringing together movement disorder neurologists, advanced practice providers, researchers, and patient advocates focused on advancing care for people living with Parkinson’s and related conditions. Visit atmrd.org for more information.

Parkinson’s disease is the second‑most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s, affecting an estimated one million Americans and around ten million people worldwide.

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