Primary care practitioners (PCPs) at UMass Memorial Medical Center have found a way to integrate a digital cognitive assessment into routine visits by establishing a new workflow that addressed a critical gap in brain health screening.
Equipping PCPs with efficient, scalable tools such as Linus Health's Core Cognitive Evaluation (CCE), which was used in the study, is essential to meeting this urgent need and addressing the Alzheimer's crisis at the front lines of care.
Patients completed the CCE before their regularly scheduled appointments, with results provided to their PCPs in advance of the visit.
Of the 150 patients screened, 40 were flagged for borderline cognitive impairment, and seven tested positive. These findings prompted PCPs to place 84 orders for follow-up lab tests or referrals to neurology and neuropsychology within 20 days.
Six of the seven participating PCPs said the CCE results directly influenced their care decisions, and all PCPs expressed interest in continuing to use the tool if it were available.
The researchers found that patients also responded positively: 96% said the test was easy to complete, 95% reported it did not induce worry or anxiety, and 70% found the experience beneficial.
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