EvergreenHealth Announces Open Enrollment for Alzheimer Research Study

Alzheimer’s impacts more than 3 million Americans and their families each year; its impact still looms largely over many local families.

EvergreenHealth Medical Center

Kirkland, Wash. – EvergreenHealth today announced the health system is accepting patient enrollment for a national clinical research study on Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Through the study, researchers track the progress of enrolled patients for 12 months to determine if PET scans can effectively assist in identifying the causes and symptoms of these diseases, and help facilitate better treatment decisions. There are no invasive procedures involved, and after an initial PET scan, study participants continue to receive their normal course of care from their existing providers. The nationwide study is led by the Alzheimer’s Association and managed by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN).

“As a health system we continually strive to be at the forefront of innovation and research. We are honored to offer our first Alzheimer’s disease research study, which alongside specialists and physicians across the country, will help provide important insights into ways we can improve treatments for those suffering from cognitive impairment and dementia,” said EvergreenHealth CEO Bob Malte. “We encourage all who are eligible to consider participating, as our clinical research is another way to advance our purpose of enriching the health and well-being of those we serve.”

The underlying goal of the IDEAS study is to understand if PET scans of amyloid plaques in patients’ brains can help clinicians diagnose the cause of cognitive impairment, and make appropriate treatment decisions.  Researchers will assess the impact of the scans on participating patients’ medical outcomes, including the number of hospital admissions and emergency room visits.

To be eligible for enrollment, individuals must be Medicare beneficiaries 65 years of age or older who have been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. They also need to have had a head MRI or CT scan within 24 months prior to enrollment.

A total of 18,488 Medicare beneficiaries throughout the United States that meet the criteria are eligible to enroll over a 24 month period, as part of a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Coverage with the Evidence Development (CED) research program. Dementia specialists across the country are combining efforts with trained radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians at PET facilities to order, conduct, and interpret the amyloid PET scan results.

To learn more about the IDEAS Study, please visit www.ideas-study.org. If you or someone you know is eligible for the study and are interested in participating, please contact your EvergreenHealth provider, or visit www.evergreenhealth.com/alzheimers-clinical-trials.

To learn more about EvergreenHealth, visit www.evergreenhealth.com or call 425.899.3300.   

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About EvergreenHealth

EvergreenHealth is an integrated health care system that serves nearly one million residents in King and Snohomish counties and offers a breadth of services and programs that is among the most comprehensive in the region. More than 950 physicians provide clinical excellence in over 80 specialties, including heart and vascular care, oncology, surgical care, orthopedics, neurosciences, women’s and children’s services, pulmonary care and home care and hospice services. Formed as a public hospital district in 1972, EvergreenHealth includes a 318-bed acute care medical center in Kirkland, a network of 10 primary care practices, two urgent care centers, over two dozen specialty care practices and 24/7 emergency care at its Kirkland campus, Monroe campus and at a freestanding center in Redmond. In 2015, the system expanded to include EvergreenHealth Monroe – an accredited, full-service 74-bed public hospital district, established in 1960 in Monroe, Washington. EvergreenHealth has clinical and strategic partnerships with several health care entities, including Virginia Mason, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and dozens of independent practices that are part of the clinically integrated EvergreenHealth Partners network. In addition to clinical care, EvergreenHealth offers extensive community health outreach and education programs, anchored by the 24/7 EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigator & Healthline. In 2016, EvergreenHealth achieved its seventh designation (2009-2012, and 2014-2016) as a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence from Healthgrades®, placing it among the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide, based on its outstanding clinical performance; and was named one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals® by Truven Health AnalyticsTM in the “Large Community Hospitals” category for outstanding achievements in patient care, operational efficiency and financial strength.

For more information, visit www.evergreenhealth.com.