Quest’s Free iPad-Based Cognitive Evaluation Test Aids Physicians

Quest Diagnostics has introduced a product that is a departure from the typical laboratory test but is expected to assist physicians in providing more precise delivery of health care services. Known as CogniSense, it allows the administration of a five-minute test on patients suspected of having cognitive issues. It is based on the Memory Orientation Assessment Test, which includes questions pertaining to the patient’s ability to recall words and objects and time and place.

The intent of the test, according to Quest, is to speed up such evaluations and eliminate demographic biases in applying such tests. Research has suggested that the educational level of the patient being evaluated can be an obstacle against obtaining accurate results.

“CogniSense serves a pressing need for tools to improve the evaluation of neurological disorders such as dementia, particularly in the primary care setting,” said Quest spokesperson Wendy Bost. “(It) aligns with our larger business strategy to provide diagnostic information services that serve unmet clinical needs.” She added that the company collects revenue from a per-patient evaluation fee.

In addition to creating more business for Quest, such a test could be used to make a business case for the overall health improvement of those patients who undergo the CogniSense exam. “Studies show that cognition plays a huge role in how patients take care of all the management of their health,” said Harry Jacob, M.D., chief medical officer for Primary PartnerCare, an accountable care organization in New York State that piloted CogniSense on more than 200 patients. “That is why effective digital tools for the assessment of patients at risk for dementia are essential for an ACO.”

CogniSense is a free Apple download for the iPad. However, sharing test results appears to require participating in Care360, Quest’s electronic healthcare records system, which in some instances charges a monthly fee. Bost noted that Care360 can interface with hundreds of other electronic medical records systems. Quest said it was developing a variety of tests for the more efficient diagnosis and treatment of dementia.