USA - IHI
In the United States, one in nine people aged 65 and older lives with Alzheimer's dementia, with many cases remaining undiagnosed. A study found that physicians were unaware of cognitive impairment in more than 40 percent of their patients with cognitive decline. This lack of evaluation can hinder treatment of comorbid conditions and may pose safety risks. To address this, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) partnered with Mass General Brigham (MGB) and the Milken Institute (MI) to improve cognitive assessments in older adults through engaging primary care testing sites through a Learning Community.
Over the course of 14 months, the project created a plan to improve assessment rates across different races and ethnicities. This plan was tested at nine primary care sites in a Learning Community. The Learning Community featured educational and coaching events led by experts and people with lived experience.
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Leslie Pelton, Vice President
IHI, executive sponsor for the project
Sue Butts-Dion
Improvement Advisor, IHI
Joelle Baehrend
Senior Project Director, IHI
USA - IHI
In the United States, one in nine people aged 65 and older lives with Alzheimer's dementia, with many cases remaining undiagnosed. A study found that physicians were unaware of cognitive impairment in more than 40 percent of their patients with cognitive decline. This lack of evaluation can hinder treatment of comorbid conditions and may pose safety risks. To address this, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) partnered with Mass General Brigham (MGB) and the Milken Institute (MI) to improve cognitive assessments in older adults through engaging primary care testing sites through a Learning Community.
Over the course of 14 months, the project created a plan to improve assessment rates across different races and ethnicities. This plan was tested at nine primary care sites in a Learning Community. The Learning Community featured educational and coaching events led by experts and people with lived experience.
A total of 1,511 cognitive assessments were conducted across the nine participating sites. The data collection period was not long enough to detect improvement in outcome measures (trends or shifts in data over time). Teams were encouraged to continue data collection to guide their improvement efforts after the conclusion of the Learning Community. Primary care teams found the Learning Community's information and tools valuable for understanding variation across providers in their practice and improving and standardizing processes for screening, assessment, documentation, and referral. The initiative also fostered a supportive cohort of individuals and primary care practices, facilitating ongoing idea exchange and collaboration.
LP
Leslie Pelton, Vice President
IHI, executive sponsor for the project
SBD
Sue Butts-Dion
Improvement Advisor, IHI
JB
Joelle Baehrend
Senior Project Director, IHI