A new era in cognitive rehabilitation
With the increasing prevalence of cognitive impairments, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, the need for specialized, accessible care for older adults has never been more critical. At VitalCaring, we have observed that approximately 10% of our patients live with cognitive issues as their primary diagnosis, and many more experience cognitive comorbidities alongside conditions like cardiovascular disease and behavioral health challenges. To address these complex needs, we have added an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technology to our Cognitive Care Program. The addition of AI-driven technology allows our program to go beyond traditional neurorehabilitation and aims to enhance and maintain cognitive function through evidence-based, personalized interventions.
The world of speech, language and cognitive therapy is rapidly transforming, driven by advancements in AI. The increased usage of AI is proving to be a game-changer, making these therapies not only more effective, but also more accessible. In a time when neurological conditions are on the rise, AI innovations are essential to meeting the needs of our patients, improving their quality of life and equipping our clinicians with valuable tools.
A Collaborative Approach to Transform Care
In partnership with Constant Therapy, VitalCaring has undertaken a seven-month pilot program that leverages AI-driven cognitive therapy to elevate patient care. This initiative integrates Constant Therapy’s digital platform into VitalCaring’s cognitive therapy services, providing an innovative means to track and improve cognitive rehabilitation. This collaboration embodies VitalCaring’s commitment to harnessing technology for more precise and impactful patient outcomes.
Conducted from October 2023 to May 2024, the pilot program included 52 patients between the ages of 54 and 92, averaging an age of 77. The primary diagnoses among participants were cerebral infarction, brain tumors, dementia and Parkinson’s disease, with an average engagement duration of 77 days.
Enriching Patient-Caregiver Relationships
The program revealed that AI can deepen the patient-caregiver relationship by empowering patients and their families to engage with care in a more meaningful way. VitalCaring’s approach is focused on accelerating patients’ journeys back to independence, safely and effectively, at home. Through digital cognitive exercises, patients gain a toolset to maintain—and even enhance—their cognitive abilities, creating positive ripple effects long after discharge.
The program also captures valuable data through standardized tests, which can help clinicians tailor interventions to each patient’s unique needs. This data-driven approach means that our care is not only about symptom management, but also about addressing the deeper causes of cognitive decline. In doing so, we help mitigate risks like falls, medication mismanagement and nutritional deficits—challenges that cognitive issues often exacerbate.
Impressive Results & Measurable Impact
In the pilot program, patients saw remarkable improvements, with key metrics reflecting significant gains in the following areas.
Cognitive Function
By discharge, patients’ cognitive abilities increased substantially:
- Thirty-five percent improvement in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores
- Thirty-three percent increase in Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) scores
- Fifty-five percent of participants showed a one-level cognitive improvement
- Thirty-five percent of patients achieved normal cognitive function at discharge
- Patient Engagement
Patients independently completed an average of 507 exercises using the Constant Therapy platform, equating to approximately 11 hours of additional therapy. This reflected a 73% increase in therapy time, which highlights the power of independent, AI-facilitated exercises in boosting patient engagement and long-term adherence to therapy.
Clinician Efficiency
Integrating AI tools streamlined the process of developing personalized therapy plans and documenting patient progress, which help alleviate clinician burnout and enhance workplace wellness. The program provides clear, objective data measurements in each area, demonstrating medical necessity to support therapy and progress throughout treatment. This data can be integrated quickly from the program into the patient’s record. Each clinician saved valuable hours per week—a meaningful benefit to clinicians and patients.
Insights Gained & Lessons for the Future
Implementing an AI-driven cognitive care program offers insights for other providers aiming to integrate AI in similar initiatives. Our experiences have underscored several key lessons and best practices:
- Start small, scale gradually. Testing with a smaller pilot first allowed us to refine our approach and adjust based on real-world results, ensuring a smoother transition when scaling up.
- Identify target patients. Clearly defining which patient groups benefit most—such as those with cognitive decline as a primary or secondary diagnosis and documented functional limitations due to these deficits—maximizes the program’s impact.
- Set clear objectives. Establishing specific, measurable goals—like improved cognitive scores and enhanced engagement—provides clarity and focus, guiding both clinicians and patients toward tangible outcomes.
- Choose the right platform. It’s essential to select an AI platform that is not only patient-friendly, but also integrates seamlessly with existing health care management systems in order to ensure a smooth adoption process.
- Do continuous training for clinicians. Ongoing training and support are vital in order for clinicians to confidently use AI tools and leverage them effectively in their practice.
- Monitor outcomes. Regularly tracking outcomes, such as MoCA and SLUMS scores and patient engagement levels, helps in fine-tuning the program and measuring its effectiveness over time.
- Encourage patient independence. Engaging patients in independent exercises boosts therapy time and can lead to better cognitive retention and progress.
- Foster collaboration. Close collaboration between AI providers, clinicians and patients is essential. Feedback from each group informs continuous improvement and enables rapid issue resolution.
- Design for scalability. With these foundations in place, scaling the program across a larger patient population becomes more feasible, ensuring consistent quality and effectiveness.
Best Practices for Sustained Success
When integrating AI into cognitive care, several practices have proven particularly effective:
- Personalization Through Data: AI’s ability to analyze patient data enables highly individualized therapy plans, which in turn boosts patient engagement and leads to better outcomes.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Coordination among health care disciplines enriches the care provided and enhances the effectiveness of AI integration.
- Staying Updated With AI Advancements: By continuously evaluating new AI technologies, we can incorporate the latest tools and methods to keep our program at the cutting edge of cognitive care.
- Transparency and Accountability: Ensuring transparent AI operations and maintaining accountability for patient outcomes fosters trust between patients, clinicians and the organization.
- Patient-Centered Focus: Every tool and advancement we introduce should enhance, rather than replace, the human touch—a core principle of patient-centered care.
Looking to the Future
The results of our AI-driven cognitive care pilot program suggest technology can empower patients to take charge of their cognitive health. While our current focus is on cognitive impairments, the framework we have developed is adaptable to other conditions, which paves the way for more comprehensive, technology-enhanced care across a variety of diagnoses. Our goal is simple, yet ambitious: To leave no patient behind, provide consistent support and improve health outcomes across the board.
This pilot program represents more than just progress; it’s a bold leap toward a future where cutting-edge technology and compassionate care converge to transform patient outcomes and redefine the standards of home health care.
Read the original article here.
