Easier access to care for Veterans with memory loss.
Increasing Access to Care: An Advanced Virtual Care Delivery Protocol to Deliver Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services to Underserved Veterans With ADRD
This program tests whether a telehealth-based care protocol can help Veterans with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia get screened and considered sooner for amyloid-targeting treatments.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Federal |
| Locations | 1 site (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) |
| Trial ID | NCT07117162 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial at VA Pittsburgh will enroll Veterans with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to suspected or confirmed Alzheimer disease. Eligible participants must be enrolled in VA care, live at home, be 18 or older, speak English, be able to consent, and have a 5-minute telephone MoCA score >7. The intervention is an ADRD care delivery protocol that integrates telehealth visits, expedited advanced diagnostics, and streamlined workflows to speed screening for eligibility for amyloid-targeting monoclonal antibody therapies. Outcomes will compare time-to-screening and access metrics between the integrated protocol and usual VA care pathways.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Veterans enrolled in VA care who live at home, are 18 or older, English-speaking, able to consent, and have mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia with a 5-minute telephone MoCA >7.
Not a fit: Patients in institutional settings (such as nursing homes), those not enrolled in VA care, non-English speakers, or those with more advanced dementia or who do not meet mAb therapy criteria are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the protocol could shorten wait times and speed access to amyloid-targeting therapies for eligible Veterans, enabling earlier treatment decisions.
How similar studies have performed: Telehealth and care-delivery models have improved access in other settings, but combining rapid diagnostics and streamlined workflows specifically to expedite amyloid-targeted therapy screening is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to suspected or confirmed AD with a 5 minute telephone MoCA score \>7 * Meets VA MUE inclusion/exclusion criteria for mAb therapy for AD * Enrolled in VA care * Lives in a home setting (i.e., not in an institutional setting such as a nursing home, Community Living Center, or hospital) * Has a working telephone * 18 years and older * Able to communicate in English * Willing to give informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * None
Where this trial is running
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Alison O'Donnell, DO, MPH
- Email: alison.odonnell2@va.gov
- Phone: 412-522-3123
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.