Primary care preparedness to care for patients with ADRD: A national survey study

It is unknown how prepared primary care practices are to deliver recommended dementia care.

A nationally representative survey of US primary care practices focused on care delivery processes, including those for patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).

A total of 1245 of 3498 practices (36%) responded. Most practices reported systems to detect patients with ADRD (67%) and refer patients for diagnostic testing (75%). Fewer required ADRD-related training (45%-46%) or maintained an ADRD registry (29%). Practices that scored higher on ADRD care preparedness were more likely to be smaller, receive a higher proportion of revenue from Medicare, and have other important practice capabilities.

Primary care practices have mixed preparedness to care for patients with ADRD. Efforts to boost ADRD preparedness, including providing adequate infrastructure and resources directly to primary care, should be a priority to address disparities in diagnosis and to optimize the patient and caregiver journey.

Mixed ADRD preparedness identified in primary care practices across the United States. Practices often lack ADRD-specific registries and staff training initiatives. Medicare-reliant and larger physician-owned groups show higher ADRD preparedness. FQHCs reported lower ADRD preparedness, highlighting potential gaps in care. Cultural awareness and other support services correlate with better ADRD readiness.