CAMCI: Advancing the Use of Computerized Screening in Healthcare
Condition: Cognitive Dysfunction; Cognitive Impairment; Cognitive Decline; Cognitive Change
MeSH terms: Cognitive Dysfunction
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Cognitive impairment is a significant health problem in the United States, resulting in costs
      over $100 billion a year. We will provide an efficient, effective, and financially
      intelligent solution to Primary Care Physician's to identify cognitive impairment in the
      earliest stages, delay progression through appropriate treatment, and to afford patients the
      opportunity to make future plans at a time when symptoms are mild and patients are able to
      make informed decisions concerning financial and life activities. This has the potential to
      delay devastating effects of cognitive impairment, and to lessen the financial burden on the
      health care system in the United States.
    

Detailed description: 
      Cognitive dysfunction in the elderly population, ranging from simple forgetfulness to a
      diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, can impact one's quality of life and ability to function in
      daily activities. It is crucial that decline be detected as early as possible in order to
      evaluate whether the cause is treatable, and to employ appropriate treatment, if applicable.
      The majority of older patients rely on their primary care physician for the bulk of their
      healthcare needs, but there is a lack of sensitive tools available, and there is a lack of
      physician's time to use the tools, leading to a failure to provide therapeutic intervention
      at the earliest stages of loss to potentially slow the progression of disease. Psychology
      Software Tools, Inc. (PST) has developed the Computer Assessment of Memory and Cognitive
      Impairment (CAMCI), a computerized screening tool for detection of early signs of cognitive
      decline, which has been shown to be more effective in the identification of patients with
      subtle cognitive loss than the tools most frequently used within the primary care physician
      (PCP) office. CAMCI would provide an option for PCPs and clinicians to provide therapeutic
      intervention prior to a diagnosis of dementia. Recent additions to Current Procedural
      Terminology (CPT) codes permit insurance reimbursement for neuropsychological testing by a
      computer, including time for the physician's or clinical psychologist's interpretation and
      reporting. The introduction of this new revenue stream for PCPs and clinicians, coupled with
      the characteristics of being brief and self-administered make CAMCI an attractive option for
      improving early intervention, providing an intelligent business solution for healthcare
      professionals, and a useful and effective tool that allows physicians to better evaluate and
      serve their patients. The specific aims included in the current project focus on activities
      required to successfully move CAMCI to commercialization by extending support for late stage
      research and product development, including regulatory strategy and intellectual property
      development, data collection to replicate key studies, product extension through increasing
      minority representation, and development of a measure of meaningful change. The ultimate goal
      is to streamline commercialization of CAMCI, and to provide a useful and effective tool in
      the detection of cognitive dysfunction to physicians, the providers of the majority of
      healthcare to the elderly population, to improve efficiency and effectiveness of clinical
      practice.
    

Intervention name(s): CAMCI
Intervention type(s): Device
Intervention description(s): CAMCI battery of computerized tasks
Other intervention name(s): CAMCI task battery
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Screening