Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurology
• Primary Care Medicine

Background:

• Multispecialty Interprofessional Team (MINT) Memory Clinics offer primary care-level management for dementia and memory disorders.
• This model, originating in Ontario, has expanded to over 100 clinics across four Canadian provinces.
• This study evaluates the patient and care partner experience within this expanding care model.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and analyze patient and care partner satisfaction with the Multispecialty Interprofessional Team (MINT) memory clinic model.
• To assess the perceived value and effectiveness of MINT memory clinics in managing memory disorders.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous satisfaction surveys were administered to 748 patients and care partners across 14 newly established MINT memory clinics in four Canadian provinces.
• Surveys utilized five-point rating scales to assess aspects like appointment timeliness, quality of explanations, time spent, understanding of condition, and willingness to recommend.
• Qualitative analysis of open-ended comments captured detailed perceptions of the clinic experience.

Main Results:

• A 45% response rate (338 surveys) was achieved, with no significant differences in ratings between patients and care partners.
• High satisfaction was reported, with 88% overall satisfaction and strong agreement (93-95%) on timely appointments, adequate question addressing, sufficient time spent, and recommendation likelihood.
• Respondents valued clinic accessibility, the team's collaborative approach, expertise, caring demeanor, and the comfortable assessment environment.

Conclusions:

• The MINT memory clinic model demonstrates high patient and care partner satisfaction across multiple Canadian provinces.
• This model effectively meets the needs of individuals and families affected by dementia and memory disorders.
• MINT memory clinics represent a significant opportunity to increase primary care capacity for timely, comprehensive memory assessment and care nationwide.