Scalable tools to help primary care detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier
Official title: Implementing Scalable Tools in Primary Care for Early Alzheimer’s Disease Detection Across a Health System
Funded at University of Kansas Medical Center · NIH-11344231 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A nationwide approach helps primary care teams use new tools and blood tests to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease Earlier and more accurately.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $3,254,395 |
| NIH project number | 1RF1AG100511-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11344231 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults at risk for or suspected of having ADRD who receive care in participating primary clinics.
✕Less likely to help
Patients unlikely to be affected are those without ADRD symptoms or not seen in the participating clinics.
What this research studies
This project rolls out a program in 15 primary care clinics to support doctors in identifying Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias sooner. It combines structured memory tests, a blood biomarker (p-tau217), smart decision support in the electronic health record, and specialty clinics that team with PCPs. The plan uses a pragmatic stepped-wedge design to see how well the approach works in real-world practice and to understand what makes it easier or harder to adopt. Training for frontline clinicians and clinical champions aims to sustain improvements in care pathways. Results will be assessed with both clinical outcomes and implementation metrics to guide future spread.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may receive earlier, more accurate diagnoses and faster access to appropriate care and therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show that integrated PCP tools and biomarkers can improve dementia detection, but large-scale primary-care implementation is still developing.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burns, Jeffrey Murray — University of Kansas Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Burns, Jeffrey Murray
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Helping primary care patients and clinicians use Alzheimer’s biomarkers
A patient-friendly project to help primary care teams use blood biomarkers to better understand and diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in people with memory or thinking problems.
-
High-Quality Primary Care for Older Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
A national study looks at how access to high-quality primary care for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias has changed over time and what system factors help or hinder it.
-
Preparing for blood-based Alzheimer’s biomarker testing: a decision-support tool for diverse primary care patients
A doctor-scientist is being trained to create an easy, patient-friendly tool to help diverse people decide about blood tests that detect Alzheimer’s risks.
-
Improving how primary care teams handle advance care planning for Alzheimer's and related dementias
A program to help family doctors and care teams talk with people living with Alzheimer's and related dementias about their care preferences and wishes.
-
Blood tests and simple cognitive tests to detect Alzheimer's early in clinics
A study will test new blood biomarkers and quick cognitive tests to detect Alzheimer’s disease more accurately in doctors’ offices and memory clinics.
-
Better primary care for older adults with Alzheimer's and related dementias
This project explores how older adults with Alzheimer's and related dementias get primary care and what helps clinics deliver better care.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.