Hospitals aren’t ready for an Alzheimer’s breakthrough

As we prepare for the new year, many people across the globe are united in wishing for one thing: an Alzheimer’s breakthrough. Few people have not been affected by the disease in one way or another. Just this year, direct costs associated with Alzheimer’s have cost the United States an estimated $259 billion, more than the costs for heart disease and cancer combined. That makes Alzheimer’s the most expensive disease in the United States.

In short, everyone wants to see this disease defeated. Money has flooded into anti-Alzheimer’s research. More than 10 promising therapies are now in trials and the hope is that a breakthrough could be right around the corner.

Are Hospitals Ready for an Alzheimer’s Breakthrough?

Here’s the question that isn’t being asked, however: are hospitals and health systems ready for a breakthrough? A recent RAND Corp. study says no.

The primary issue is a scarcity of medical specialists to diagnose patients showing early signs of Alzheimer’s as well as a scarcity of scanners. Diagnosis, obviously, is a necessary first step before deciding who is eligible for a new therapy.

To understand the gravity of the situation, we must first remember how large and widespread the problem is. 5.5 million people are currently suffering from Alzheimer’s. By 2040 that number is expected to more than double. The study predicts that roughly 71 million Americans 55 and older would need to be screened for early signs of dementia. Around 2.4 million would ultimately qualify for the treatment. Even this small number would overwhelm existing center that have the capacity to deliver the treatments. Assuming a therapy is approved in 2019, it’s predicted that wait times to complete screening, diagnosis and treatment would take 18.6 months in 2020 and 1.3 months by 2030.

The message for healthcare leaders is loud and clear: start thinking about how your organization would respond to such a breakthrough, because nobody else has.

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