Make your practice more efficient. Get in touch with our Sales team today at (415) 993-4977.

June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month: Learn what tools Practice Fusion has to help your practice and patients

This June the international health community will recognize and bring awareness to Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that, in the United States alone, 5.7 million people are living with Alzheimer’s, and every 65 seconds someone is newly diagnosed.1 It is estimated that in 2018 Alzheimer’s, in conjunction with other forms of dementia, will cost the United States $277 billion.1 The number of individuals who develop Alzheimer’s by the year 2050 is expected to increase by over two-fold.1 Preventive measures are often touted as helpful tools in the fight against the onset of Alzheimer’s.

The utilization of electronic health record (EHR) technology is an important tool in this fight. Physicians using a certified EHR like Practice Fusion’s are better able to track the health and wellness of their patients through structured documentation. For instance, physicians utilizing Practice Fusion’s platform are equipped to collect data on family history, allowing the physician to identify the potential for hereditary diseases. Practice Fusion’s EHR incorporates a systems-based approach that supports the timely receipt of recommended preventive care services. This can be vital in the efforts to impede the potential onset of diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Accurate diagnosis and assessment of patients living with dementia and Alzheimer’s is an integral part of maintaining quality care. Practice Fusion’s EHR includes an electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) for dementia. Physicians with patients who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia may administer a cognitive assessment to their patients during a face to face visit. Upon a patient’s return to the office, doctors may review the result with their patients. According to the measure, once a year the EHR will record this assessment. Doing so can contribute to a physician’s MIPS score.

Maintaining the quality of life for those at risk for Alzheimer’s, and those living with Alzheimer’s, is an essential component of chronic care management. If a patient or a patient’s family wishes to communicate with their doctor or caretaker, they may do so using Practice Fusion’s secure messaging, which allows the patient to establish portal communication with their practitioner. Communication no longer requires an in-doctor visit, lessening the burden on those who find difficulty in traveling to the doctor’s office or who need immediate medical advice.

The treatment and management of Alzheimer’s and dementia can be challenging, but Practice Fusion is here to help. We work to create a product that reflects the needs of our physicians and clinicians to best support their efforts in preventing disease and treating illness.

Information from the CDC regarding Alzheimer’s disease may be found here.

Those who wish to get involved with the Alzheimer’s Association may visit their website here.


1 Alzheimer’s Fact sheet