Brain Health
Strengthening Payment and Care Supports for Brain Health:
Improving Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease Care
Nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a number expected to double by 2060. Yet Alzheimer’s care remains fragmented, with diagnosis often delayed and both medical and non-medical interventions out of reach for many. The recent availability of early-stage disease modifying treatments, targeted medical and lifestyle management, and the development of diagnostic biomarkers can shift this landscape — supporting a health system better equipped to deliver Alzheimer’s treatment that maintains quality of life over the long-term.
Reimaging Alzheimer’s Care for an Aging Nation
Accelerator initiatives aim to fundamentally reimagine the way we diagnose, treat, and pay for Alzheimer’s disease care—shifting our system from reactive and fragmented care to proactive and coordinated care. We plan to take a data-driven and sustainable approach that prioritizes the following:
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Identifying the major barriers to early diagnosis and care, and the opportunities to overcome them.
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Strengthening early intervention and management by developing best practices gained from expert stakeholder engagement—from clinicians and payers to policymakers and patients.
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Building a preliminary care and payment model for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease that is patient- and caregiver-centric and reduces the burden on primary care providers.
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Evaluating the model to identify areas of improvement or other uses in the brain health space.
Meet the Team
Interested in our work? Contact the team at healthaccelerator@duke.edu.
