The House has passed a bipartisan bill cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Josh Riley that would expand dementia diagnosis training for primary care providers, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
The Accelerating Access to Dementia and Alzheimer's Provider Training Act, H.R. 3747, would connect primary care providers with specialists through virtual training, mentorship and case-based learning.
The proposal is intended to help providers identify, diagnose and manage Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia earlier. Primary care providers are often the first health professionals patients see when memory problems begin, according to Riley's office.
Riley, a Democrat who represents New York's 19th Congressional District, said rural families can face particular difficulty getting timely dementia diagnoses. He said earlier detection can give patients more treatment options and help families plan for care.
About 426,500 New Yorkers age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's, according to figures cited in the release from the Alzheimer's Association. The group estimates that only half of people with Alzheimer's have received a diagnosis.
The release also said primary care providers who do not specialize in dementia make 85% of initial diagnoses. The bill seeks to strengthen that workforce by giving those providers access to specialists and additional training.
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