Page 38 - Healthy Brain Initiative, State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018-2023 Road Map

Outcome: Public health has a critical role in educating a
IMPROVED PROFESSIONAL CARE FOR
PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA
W-5 Strengthen the competencies of
professionals who deliver healthcare and
other care services to people with dementia
through interprofessional training and
other strategies.
W-6 Educate healthcare professionals about the
importance of treating co-morbidities,
addressing injury risks, and attending to
behavioral health needs among people at all
stages of dementia.
W-7 Educate healthcare professionals to be
mindful of the health risks for caregivers,
encourage caregivers’ use of available
information and tools, and make referrals to
supportive programs and services.
Home, community, and long-term care
professionals in Utah enhanced their
knowledge and skills to better care
for people living with dementia. Learn
more on page 51.
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broad array of providers who care for people with
dementia: nurses, home health professionals, social
workers, pharmacists, physicians, community health
workers, and more. Each profession has specialized
knowledge and competencies that, if shared, could
help other professionals become more effective in their
particular roles. Interprofessional training that involves
professionals from different disciplines can facilitate
greater appreciation for others’ contributions and
improve working relationships. Because Alzheimer’s
dementia complicates the management of chronic
diseases, care planning—particularly when it is done
by interdisciplinary teams—is key to coordinating and
managing care. Care planning allows people with
dementia diagnoses and their caregivers to receive a
comprehensive assessment, learn about medical and
non-medical treatments, and secure relevant services
in the community that can support a higher quality
of life. People receiving care planning specifically
geared toward dementia have fewer hospitalizations,
fewer emergency room visits, and better medication
management. 49
The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) billing code
99483 allows clinicians to be reimbursed for providing
comprehensive care planning to cognitively impaired
people. Effective since 2017, the code requires
clinicians to provide detailed, person-centered care
planning, caregiver assessments, and referrals to
community resources. Public health efforts to ensure