The Alzheimer’s Association has introduced the Brain Health & Quality Care Initiative (BHQCI), a program aimed at assisting clinicians and health systems in integrating brain health and dementia care into routine clinical practices. The BHQCI seeks to tackle the entire care continuum, offering detailed action plans for each phase, beginning with risk reduction and cognitive assessment, progressing through diagnosis and referrals, and including treatment and long-term support.
Katie Evans, chief programs and mission engagement officer at the Alzheimer’s Association, said, “We are trying to change how care is delivered in America, and I think this is a great step forward.” The initiative is motivated by the gap between scientific advances in brain health care and real-world impact for individuals.
Addressing the Gaps
According to Evans, current scientific advances in the care of brain health have not directly translated into real-world impact for individuals. “We have new diagnostic tools, have disease-modifying treatments, and these are all creating opportunities to identify, diagnose, and then treat Alzheimer’s disease earlier,” she said. However, cognitive assessments are not consistently incorporated into routine care, and referral pathways are fragmented, leading to delays in diagnosis and care.
Motisola Lewis, MD, an internal medicine physician, said, “I love this initiative and believe brain health should be part of the conversation long before a patient starts forgetting names, missing appointments, or struggling with activities of daily living.” The Alzheimer’s Association is optimistic that the BHQCI will help address these unmet care needs.
Evans explained that the BHQCI will provide implementation resources, including professional education and peer-to-peer learning opportunities, to guide clinicians and health systems. The initiative will also have a recognition component to lift those delivering high-quality care.
Implementation Plans
Evans noted that primary care is where many people first seek help for cognitive concerns, making it an appropriate place to start. The association is building a primary care blueprint that will address behaviors across five different domains, starting with clinical presentation.
Within each domain, there will be training and tools, Evans added. The association has national health system directors who will work with health systems to implement the models and build a unique journey for each system. Plans are also underway to expand the initiative to vulnerable populations in acute care.
Evans shared that they are working on a project, a telementoring case-based learning approach for neurology care. The initiative aims to make brain health care more practical and sustainable for clinicians.
Dr. Lewis raised concerns about the feasibility of the initiative, saying that it needs to work in the real world.
Evans said that success for the initiative means helping health systems deliver more consistent, high-quality brain health and dementia care. The association receives funding support from Eisai and Eli Lilly and Company.