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P3‐352: Evaluation of the Outreach Component of the Alzheimer Society of Saskachewan's First Link Program
Author(s) -
Malloy-Weir Leslie J.,
Morgan Debra G.,
Kosteniuk Julie G.,
Michael Joanne,
Bracken Joanne
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2016.06.2017
Subject(s) - outreach , dementia , medicine , health professionals , nursing , disease , gerontology , psychology , family medicine , medical education , health care , political science , pathology , law
Project Description:Since 2007, the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, Canada has sought, through their First Link program, to assist health professionals directly refer people living with dementia, and their caregivers, to the Society for services and support at the time of diagnosis and throughout the duration of the disease. In 2011, a formal evaluation of the First Link program in Saskatchewan found the number of direct referrals made by health professionals who diagnose and treat dementia to be lower than expected. This phenomenon has continued despite significant outreach efforts by the Society to promote the benefit of referrals to these health professionals. The aims of this project are to: (1) describe the development and implementation of outreach, by the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, to health professionals who diagnose and treat dementia; (2) determine the extent to which outreach provided to health professionals who diagnose and treat dementia achieves its intended objective; and (3) determine why direct referrals by health professionals who have received outreach have been lower than expected. A descriptive case study, involving interviews with First Link staff and review of First Link-related documents, will address the first aim. Two explanatory case studies will address the second and third aims. A survey of health professionals (n1⁄4100-200) who received outreach from the Society between 2011 and 2015 will provide one source of data for the explanatory case studies. E-Tapestry, a centralized database used by the Society to track outreach activities provided to, and referrals made by, health professionals will provide another source of data. Geographic Information System maps will be used to overlay: (1) the total number of direct referrals made to the Society across regions between 2011 and 2015; (2) the total number of outreach activities provided across regions between the 2011 and 2015; and (3) prevalence rates of dementia across regions of Saskatchewan. This will allow for visual comparisons of regional effects of outreach to health professionals relative to existing epidemiological data. Findings from this project will help the Society to better assist health professionals in connecting patients with dementia, and their caregivers, to community supports and services.