Multidisciplinary collaboration to develop a digital health solution for early detection of cognitive decline in primary care

Developing digital healthcare solutions that facilitate rapid identification and effective management of patients with Alzheimer disease and related disorders (ADRD) is an area of intense study. A critical juncture for these efforts involves the early detection of cognitive decline. Because primary care providers (PCPs) are the first line of medical care, they are often the first to hear concerns about cognitive decline. However, under‐diagnosis of ADRD in primary care settings is widely recognized, as are the many barriers to routine cognitive screening. While information about brief cognitive screening tools for detecting ADRD is plentiful, PCPs remain uncertain about which patients to assess, which tools to use and how to use them, and how to communicate results. The goal of this project was to design a risk assessment and cognitive screening (RACS) application that specifically addressed the needs and concerns of PCPs to facilitate identification of cognitive decline in primary care settings.