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Improving Care Through Public Policy
Laura Thornhill, Rachel Conant. The Gerontologist, 2017-10-20
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
As has been noted, Alzheimer’s and related dementias are underdiagnosed and when diagnoses are made, they are too often undisclosed by clinicians: studies suggest that fewer than half of individuals report being told of their diagnoses (Alzheimer’s Association, 2015). The implementation of this code, effective January 2017, is a significant step in improving detection, diagnosis, and education. Effective January 2018, CMS will require home health agencies to evaluate individuals’ cognitive status as part of overall patient assessments (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], 2017). To receive reimbursement under billing code G0505, a clinician must provide an extensive, individualized assessment that results in a care plan (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], 2016). As of January 2018, the code will to and the Advisory Council has recommended that CMS should report code by and and this policy will have a impact on of beneficiaries and Although not a new the of person-centered care planning into state and federal policy is and to individuals with a of and the care of the Affordable Care Act federal to develop and community-based services that are person-centered and and the of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries with a of including dementia, CMS has significant changes to needs and preferences into their In an of its of long-term care Medicare and Medicaid CMS to existing care planning to a care plan a comprehensive care plan within of (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], 2016).
Key findings
- As has been noted, Alzheimer’s and related dementias are underdiagnosed and when diagnoses are made, they are too often undisclosed by clinicians: studies suggest that fewer than half of individuals report being told of their diagnoses (Alzheimer’s Association, 2015).
- The implementation of this code, effective January 2017, is a significant step in improving detection, diagnosis, and education.
- Effective January 2018, CMS will require home health agencies to evaluate individuals’ cognitive status as part of overall patient assessments (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], 2017).
- To receive reimbursement under billing code G0505, a clinician must provide an extensive, individualized assessment that results in a care plan (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], 2016).
- As of January 2018, the code will to and the Advisory Council has recommended that CMS should report code by and and this policy will have a impact on of beneficiaries and Although not a new the of person-centered care planning into state and federal policy is and to individuals with a of and the care of the Affordable Care Act federal to develop and community-based services that are person-centered and and the of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries with a of including dementia, CMS has significant changes to needs and preferences into their In an of its of long-term care Medicare and Medicaid CMS to existing care planning to a care plan a comprehensive care plan within of (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], 2016).
Why it matters
This article discusses public policy changes aimed at improving detection, diagnosis, and care planning for Alzheimer's and related dementias. It does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 28/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 27 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 28 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Gerontologist) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | The Gerontologist: journal h-index 238 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 7 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.6 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 1.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Rachel Conant holds only 8 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Alzheimer's Association: institution h-index 250 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29361073) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 27 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 27 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 28 out of 100. |
| Total | 28 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Thornhill, L., & Conant, R. (2017). Improving Care Through Public Policy. The Gerontologist. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx181
Vancouver
Thornhill L, Conant R. Improving Care Through Public Policy. The Gerontologist. 2017. doi:10.1093/geront/gnx181. PMID: 29361073.
BibTeX
@article{thornhill2017-29361073,
author = {Thornhill, Laura and Conant, Rachel},
title = {{Improving Care Through Public Policy}},
journal = {The Gerontologist},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1093/geront/gnx181},
pmid = {29361073},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx181}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.