Early detection of cognitive impairment is essential for improving patient outcomes, but primary care settings face significant challenges in screening. A new report summarises key points and gaps in knowledge about methods for detecting cognitive impairment in primary care clinics.
The report highlights the importance of addressing the rising incidence of cognitive impairment as the population ages, particularly with new treatments for early Alzheimer’s disease now available.
It advocates for creative solutions to manage the increased workload, such as partnering with community health workers and leveraging telehealth.
The importance of developing cognitive care plans, especially for vulnerable populations is also emphasised in the report, which outlines the need for clear roles between primary care physicians and specialists in managing cognitive disorders.
The authors write: “With the expected increase in cognitive impairment due to population ageing and with recent approvals of new drugs to treat early AD (and more in the pipeline), creative solutions will be needed to help address an increased clinical workload, such as partnering with community health workers, libraries, and educational programs, and leveraging telehealth.
“Automated tools for risk stratification, cognitive screening, and follow-up on a positive result are already in various stages of validation, and models for successful implementation of screening procedures within EHRs of large health systems are available.
“Clinical trials within a variety of primary care clinics are needed to assess the feasibility and utility of multistep protocols that combine risk assessment approaches with short cognitive screening tests as case-finding methods that alert PCPs to consider further evaluation for cognitive impairment.
“Because not everyone has a PCP, similar studies will be needed in community settings, as well as urgent care clinics and emergency departments. Potential barriers to cognitive screening from the patient and family perspective are not well understood either and require further study.”
The authors urge that by removing barriers to screening and promoting collaboration between primary care and specialists, more patients can be identified earlier and receive the care they need.