Thinking Clearly: A Preventative Cognitive Health Visit Integrated in Primary Care

Area of Science:

• Primary Care
• Preventive Health
• Mental Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental and cognitive health concerns and reduced healthcare utilization.
• Deferred care can lead to worsening clinical outcomes, particularly for conditions benefiting from early intervention.
• Innovative strategies are needed to re-engage patients and identify emerging mental and cognitive health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a new preventative visit type, the Healthy Mind visit, aimed at identifying patients needing care.
• To support the early detection of mental and cognitive health concerns within primary care settings.
• To assess the impact of the Healthy Mind visit on patient engagement and clinical outcomes.

Main Methods:

• The Healthy Mind visit was developed as a preventative service delivered by Primary Care Providers (PCPs).
• The visit incorporated a pre-visit mental health screener and a brief computerized cognitive assessment.
• Data collected over 2.5 years analyzed booking patterns, depression screening (PHQ-9), and clinical outcomes like health confidence and motivation.

Main Results:

• The Healthy Mind visit facilitated depression screening, with 29.6% of participants receiving a PHQ-9.
• 82.5% of patients with elevated PHQ-9 scores attended a follow-up visit with their PCP.
• The program increased care utilization, with 73.5% of attendees being new or returning patients after a 6-month absence.
• Notable outcomes included improved health confidence and high patient motivation post-visit.

Conclusions:

• The Healthy Mind visit successfully engaged patients who might not otherwise seek care.
• The program supported early identification and treatment of depression, leading to positive clinical outcomes.
• Integrating mental and cognitive health assessments into primary care can enhance patient engagement and improve health outcomes.