Check out DAC’s blueprint for early detection of cognitive impairment to strengthen healthcare system readiness for Alzheimer’s care!

Healthcare System Preparedness

DAC Healthcare System Preparedness aims to catalyze healthcare system transformation that allows Alzheimer’s patients and their families quicker access to life-changing innovations. To achieve this ambition, DAC Healthcare System Preparedness is implementing and evaluating global programs focused on increasing rates of cognitive screening, early detection, and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

See our 2023 Sizzle Reel and download the DAC Overview here!

 

The Challenge

The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is increasing, but healthcare systems are not prepared to meet today’s challenge, much less the coming surge.

The number of people living with Alzheimer’s is projected to triple from 55 million today to over 139 million by 2050.

Healthcare systems face significant challenges evaluating and adopting novel interventions in real-world practice. There is a 17- to 20-year gap between clinical innovations and widespread adoption, with less than 50% ever becoming part of real-world practice.

Sources: Alzheimer’s Disease International; Bauer & Kirchner (2020)

Our Approach

DAC Healthcare System Preparedness is supporting multiple, diverse implementation programs focused on seeding healthcare system change with clear actions and goals aimed at sustainable solutions.  

DRIVING INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION ACROSS THE PATIENT PATHWAY

DAC Healthcare System Preparedness Framework

Source: Ball et al, 2022 (See Figure 1)

The DAC System Preparedness framework was developed to guide health system transformation across the Alzheimer’s care continuum. The framework identifies ten measurable nodes, for which implementation programs may be targeted and evaluated within a healthcare system. It is purposely flexible to permit adaptation to different health systems and countries, allowing for development of solutions tailored to system-specific priorities.

The first program focused on early detection of cognitive impairment, which is a critical building block for healthcare system preparedness, including identifying the right patients for the right intervention at the right time. 

  • Flagship Program: The Early Detection Flagship Program included seven flagship healthcare systems across six countries: Brazil, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Scotland, and two sites in the US. This program was designed to increase early detection of cognitive impairment in non-specialty settings by implementing a digital cognitive assessment and a blood-based biomarker test. 

  • Grant Program: The Early Detection Grant Program awarded grants to 12 healthcare systems in 8 countries for projects related to the early detection of cognitive impairment symptoms. Grantees were located in Armenia, Brunei, Canada, Cuba, Germany, Japan, Kenya, and the United States.

Over 75 applicants from 24 countries responded to DAC Healthcare System Preparedness’s inaugural grant funding for improving early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. 

*Cuba is a non-funded DAC Healthcare System Preparedness collaborator

DAC Healthcare System Preparedness Learning Laboratory

The DAC Healthcare System Preparedness Learning Laboratory is platform for leaders from government, healthcare, and industry across high, medium and low resource settings to drive evidence-based changes to policy and practice. By fostering global collaboration and sharing learnings and insights from Alzheimer’s research and systems change initiatives aimed at common operational challenges, new innovations and approaches can be more effectively adopted by other communities and systems because Alzheimer’s patients and their families do not have years to wait for research to reach clinical practice.

Highlights from the DAC Healthcare System Preparedness Learning Laboratory:

 

From Data to Decisions: Catalyzing Healthcare System Transformation for Timely and Accurate Diagnosis of ADRD, November 15, 2023

  • Nearly 500 stakeholders from 45 countries and 300+ organizations

  • Showcased insights and opportunities to accelerate timely detection and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as learnings from DAC’s Early Detection Blueprint and ongoing collaborations with researchers, advocates, and healthcare systems globally

  • Call to Action can be found here.

The Power of Technology in Alzheimer’s Early Detection: A Roadmap for Global Implementation, June 21, 2023 

  • 700+ participants from 50+ countries and 300+ organizations

  • Featured discussions with strategic partners and policy and government representatives across the UK, Armenia, Kenya, Japan, and the U.S. to discuss what it will take to scale-up early detection efforts and transform the global response to AD using innovative advances like blood-based biomarker tests and digital cognitive assessments.

  • Call to Action can be found here.

Expanding and Activating the Front Lines of Care, December 13, 2022

  • 500+ participants from 45+ countries and 280+ organizations

  • Highlighted efforts to improve access to early detection and screening in Armenia, Canada, Kenya, and the U.S. featuring DAC Early Detection Grantees & featured forward-leaning discussions with governmental and international health agency representatives.

  • Called for the implementation of innovative models and supportive policies that extend the frontlines of care, better support, and equip primary care providers, expand access to early detection, and ultimately transform health system responses for the cognitive impaired.

Driving Early Detection Across Aging Societies, May 17, 2022

  • 600+ participants from 50+ countries and 300+ organizations

  • Shared lessons from DAC Early Detection Flagship Program & introduced Early Detection Program Grantees

  • Featured discussions with representatives from the Mexican Ministry of Health and World Health Organization

  • Call to Action can be found here.

Our Progress & Goals

  • Early Detection Flagships

    Initiated 7 flagship healthcare system sites in 6 countries focused on increasing early detection of cognitive impairment in primary care settings.

  • Early Detection Grants

    Issued a $4.5M Request for Proposals for locally driven project proposals focused on early detection; received over 75 responses from 21 countries; able to support 12 healthcare systems in 8 countries.

  • Labs & Forums

    Hold DAC Healthcare System Preparedness Learning Laboratory Meetings to bring together leaders across sectors to share learnings and find scalable and sustainable solutions.

  • Accurate Diagnosis Program

    Initiate next implementation program evaluating innovative technology in the accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

 

“If people are not being told they have dementia in the first place, it is really, really difficult for them to be channeled to the right services. And even when people do receive a diagnosis, in many cases healthcare providers and physicians are ill-equipped to actually point them to these services.”

・ Elina Suzuki ・

Advisor, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development