Improving Identification of Caregivers for Dementia Patients in Electronic Health Records
Author Information
Author(s): Ariel R Green, Cynthia M Boyd, Rosalphie Quiles Rosado, Andreas E Daddato, Kathy S Gleason, Tobie E Taylor McPhail, Marcela D Blinka, Nancy L Schoenborn, Jennifer L Wolff, Elizabeth A Bayliss, Rebecca S Boxer
Primary Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Hypothesis
How can health systems better identify and support caregivers of people living with dementia through electronic health records?
Conclusion
Caregivers of people with dementia are often not systematically identified in electronic health records, leading to inconsistent documentation of their roles and needs.
Supporting Evidence
- Caregivers were usually identified in the contact information tab of the EHR.
- Most caregivers reported that the people with dementia had additional caregivers.
- Caregivers' roles and needs are often not documented systematically in the EHR.
Takeaway
This study shows that many people with dementia have multiple caregivers, but their information is often not recorded properly in health records, making it hard for doctors to know who to contact for help.
Methodology
The study involved a chart review and semi-structured interviews with caregivers and clinical staff from two health systems.
Potential Biases
Participants may have been more engaged and identified in the EHR, potentially skewing results.
Limitations
The small sample size from only two health systems may limit generalizability, and the study did not include paid caregivers.
Participant Demographics
{"people_with_dementia":{"mean_age":84.1,"sex_distribution":{"male":68,"female":32},"race_distribution":{"white":68,"black_or_african_american":23,"other":9}},"caregivers":{"mean_age":63,"sex_distribution":{"female":96,"male":5},"race_distribution":{"white":73,"black_or_african_american":23,"other":5}}}
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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