Presenters and Authors

Chloe HaleFollow
Jennifer HarrisonFollow

Abstract

Georgia Department of Public Health Injury Prevention Program works to create a healthy Georgia by leveraging resources, addressing systems change, and fortifying a robust person-centered public health response to dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The response utilizes Georgia’s established infrastructure, clear priorities, and the dynamic network of partnerships guided by a regularly updated state plan to increase capacity and access to quality care. Systemic change through collaboration and communication can empower people living with dementia, their care partners, professionals, and communities.

The pilot remote dementia diagnostic process and procedure engages long-term plans for increasing annual wellness visits, dementia risk reduction, early diagnosis, prevention and management of comorbidities and avoidable hospitalizations. The project aims to provide rural Georgians easier access to providers specializing in dementia diagnosis by offering remote telemedicine appointments at local DPH clinic sites via a tablet. It emphasizes Public Health workers collaboration with existing partners to provide tailored interventions and technology linkages, for means to access quality care and personalized care plans.

Implementation begins with stakeholder perspective through conversation, then incorporates evidence-based data driven program building and workflow creation with adaptation at each local level. Consideration for external validity in decision making and flexibility for those local level approaches and adaptations includes acting with cost deliberations and transparent information. Replication of the project includes applicability and appropriateness to location, population, staff capacity, and healthcare providers, quilted into the fabric of social continuums of care.

County Public Health Offices will collaborate with their local healthcare providers and networks, through remote dementia screenings, to support early detection and diagnosis, annual wellness visits, and risk reduction. This is a BOLD opportunity to support your community’s ability to better the lives of those with dementia, including Alzheimer’s, in their journey to improve overall health and wellness.

Keywords

Dementia, rural health, capacity, readiness, remote diagnostic process, workflow, local health department clinics

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Jan 1st, 12:00 AM

Expanding reach of Public Health: Lessons from a pilot project to develop remote dementia diagnostic processes.

Georgia Department of Public Health Injury Prevention Program works to create a healthy Georgia by leveraging resources, addressing systems change, and fortifying a robust person-centered public health response to dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The response utilizes Georgia’s established infrastructure, clear priorities, and the dynamic network of partnerships guided by a regularly updated state plan to increase capacity and access to quality care. Systemic change through collaboration and communication can empower people living with dementia, their care partners, professionals, and communities.

The pilot remote dementia diagnostic process and procedure engages long-term plans for increasing annual wellness visits, dementia risk reduction, early diagnosis, prevention and management of comorbidities and avoidable hospitalizations. The project aims to provide rural Georgians easier access to providers specializing in dementia diagnosis by offering remote telemedicine appointments at local DPH clinic sites via a tablet. It emphasizes Public Health workers collaboration with existing partners to provide tailored interventions and technology linkages, for means to access quality care and personalized care plans.

Implementation begins with stakeholder perspective through conversation, then incorporates evidence-based data driven program building and workflow creation with adaptation at each local level. Consideration for external validity in decision making and flexibility for those local level approaches and adaptations includes acting with cost deliberations and transparent information. Replication of the project includes applicability and appropriateness to location, population, staff capacity, and healthcare providers, quilted into the fabric of social continuums of care.

County Public Health Offices will collaborate with their local healthcare providers and networks, through remote dementia screenings, to support early detection and diagnosis, annual wellness visits, and risk reduction. This is a BOLD opportunity to support your community’s ability to better the lives of those with dementia, including Alzheimer’s, in their journey to improve overall health and wellness.