Video-Telemedicine in a Memory Disorders Clinic: Evaluation and Management of Rural Elders with Cognitive Impairment

Abstract Objective: Telemedicineis increasingly being used to provide consultation for healthcare in rural areas. Little work has been done with dementia although preliminary research suggests that clinical diagnosis performed via telemedicineconsultation is valid. We implemented a program to provide multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art diagnosis of cognitive impairment by video- telemedicine(VTM) integrated into a clinical setting. Methods: Patients at a rural veteran's community clinic were referred by their local provider for evaluation of memory complaints by the multidisciplinary team of the San Francisco Veterans Administration (SFVA) Memory DisordersClinic (MDC). The evaluation was integrated into the usual clinic structure and included a neurological evaluation and neuropsychological testingby the MDC team via video assisted by a remote clinician at the community clinic. Results: We evaluated 15 new patients referred to our multidisciplinary clinic. In each case, the VTM format permitted the MD...