Cognitive Assessment of Elderly Primary Care Patients
| Status: | Completed |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Cognitive Studies |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 65 - Any |
| Updated: | 4/21/2016 |
| Start Date: | January 2006 |
| End Date: | August 2012 |
Most primary care physicians do not screen older patients for cognitive impairment.
Identification of cognitive impairment may result in earlier referral for diagnostic work-up
and earlier treatment and better patient outcomes. The purpose of this study is to determine
whether physicians who receive the results of a cognitive screen use this information in
treatment plans and whether this results in better cognitive outcomes for the older
patients.
Identification of cognitive impairment may result in earlier referral for diagnostic work-up
and earlier treatment and better patient outcomes. The purpose of this study is to determine
whether physicians who receive the results of a cognitive screen use this information in
treatment plans and whether this results in better cognitive outcomes for the older
patients.
Current trends in healthcare suggest that in the coming decade most older patients will
obtain services solely through the general practice/family practice sector of healthcare.
Effective and optimal management of older patients with multiple complex medical conditions
and compromised cognitive functioning will be a challenge for the primary care physician
(PCP). Early identification of older patients with cognitive deficits should allow early
referral for diagnostic work-up and earlier treatment and better patient outcomes. The goal
of this study is to investigate the utility of providing cognitive testing in the PCP
office. PCPs will be randomized to either Treatment As Usual (TAU) or Cognitive Report (CR).
The study hypotheses are (1) patients of physicians in the CR group will have improved
clinical outcomes i.e. cognitively impaired patients in the CR group will have a slower rate
of progression of cognitive deficits over two years than cognitively impaired patients in
the TAU group; (2) PCPs in the CR group will order dementia screening tests, refer to
specialists and prescribe anticholinesterase inhibitors more frequently than PCPs in the TAU
group.
obtain services solely through the general practice/family practice sector of healthcare.
Effective and optimal management of older patients with multiple complex medical conditions
and compromised cognitive functioning will be a challenge for the primary care physician
(PCP). Early identification of older patients with cognitive deficits should allow early
referral for diagnostic work-up and earlier treatment and better patient outcomes. The goal
of this study is to investigate the utility of providing cognitive testing in the PCP
office. PCPs will be randomized to either Treatment As Usual (TAU) or Cognitive Report (CR).
The study hypotheses are (1) patients of physicians in the CR group will have improved
clinical outcomes i.e. cognitively impaired patients in the CR group will have a slower rate
of progression of cognitive deficits over two years than cognitively impaired patients in
the TAU group; (2) PCPs in the CR group will order dementia screening tests, refer to
specialists and prescribe anticholinesterase inhibitors more frequently than PCPs in the TAU
group.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 65 or over
- Plan to remain a patient of this physician for two years
- MMSE score greater than 18
Exclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of Dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Vascular disease or
other dementing disorder
- MMSE score of 18 or less
- Sensory deficit e.g. limited vision or hearing precluding cognitive testing
We found this trial at
1
site
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh is a state-related research university, founded as the...
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