The Big Picture
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive impairment are becoming an increasingly urgent challenge for patients, families, and health systems. More than 6.9 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is projected to nearly double by 2060 as the population ages.
University of Utah Health is joining a national effort to make early detection of cognitive impairment a more routine part of primary care. Through the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative U.S. Early Detection Expansion Program, U of U Health will help test and refine a model that could be used by health systems across the country.
The goal is simple but significant: identify cognitive changes earlier, connect patients and families with support sooner, and build care pathways that are sustainable in everyday clinical practice.
What’s Happening
U of U Health is one of two health systems participating in the expansion program, alongside Tufts Medicine. The University of Utah Division of Geriatrics will coordinate an interdisciplinary effort across five primary care clinics:
- Madsen Health Center Geriatrics Clinic
- Madsen Health Center Family Medicine Clinic
- Madsen Health Center Internal Medicine Clinic
- Sugar House Health Center Family Medicine Clinic
- Sugar House Health Center Internal Medicine Clinic
The project will be led by Timothy Farrell, MD, professor of medicine and associate chief for Age-Friendly Care in the Division of Geriatrics. The team will implement and refine the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative Healthcare System Preparedness Early Detection Blueprint, a system-level approach designed to help clinics detect cognitive impairment earlier and more consistently.
The program includes seed funding, coaching, technical assistance, and monthly learning meetings with the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative and the other participating health system. The 12-month effort will run through the end of 2026.
Why It Matters
Early detection can give patients, families, and care teams more time to plan, make decisions, and connect people with the right resources. Dr. Farrell emphasized that age-friendly care is built around the “4Ms”: what matters most to the patient, medications, mentation, and mobility.
That approach is especially important when cognitive impairment begins to affect daily life, independence, work, caregiving, and family routines. Patients and families have shared that they want cognitive health conversations to feel normalized as part of regular care. They also want trusted care partners involved and a trusted clinical provider present for significant conversations.
Earlier detection may also help patients remain in community-based settings longer, when appropriate. Long-term care can be financially devastating for many families, with assisted living often costing thousands of dollars per month and nursing home care costing substantially more. By identifying cognitive changes sooner and aligning care with what matters most to the patient, health systems may be able to support better outcomes while helping families avoid or delay more intensive care settings.
The Bottom Line
U of U Health’s participation in the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative program is about preparing primary care for the realities of an aging population. By embedding early cognitive detection into routine care, the project aims to make conversations about memory, function, mobility, and support more proactive and more patient-centered.
If successful, the work in these five clinics could help create a replicable model for health systems nationwide—one that detects cognitive decline earlier, supports families sooner, and improves care for older adults across communities.