Scheduling and Modeling a Cognitive Assessment Guide for Screening AD by Primary Care Physicians

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Geriatrics
• Primary Care Medicine

Background:

• Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a clinicobiological entity with long preclinical and presymptomatic phases.
• Early detection and diagnosis are crucial for effective patient management and caregiver support.
• Primary care physicians are often the first to identify cognitive impairment but may hesitate in screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model a practical guideline for mental assessment and screening for primary care physicians.
• To integrate screening into a step-by-step medical instruction policy.
• To facilitate earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease in primary care settings.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review was conducted.
• A two-visit approach for patient assessment was designed.
• The approach includes specific close-ended questions and automated scoring of screening tests.

Main Results:

• A structured, two-visit guideline for Alzheimer's screening was developed.
• The proposed method includes easily accessible tests with immediate score calculation.
• The guideline aims to overcome primary care physician reluctance towards screening.

Conclusions:

• The proposed guideline offers a practical framework for early Alzheimer's Disease detection in primary care.
• This approach can empower primary care physicians in the diagnostic process.
• Further clinical trials are planned to validate the guideline's effectiveness.