Refer Your Patients to the ADRC for Research Participation  

The single largest barrier to finding a cure is not having enough research participants.  

Do You Have Patients With: 

• Mild Cognitive Impairment  
• Alzheimer’s Disease   
• Frontotemporal Dementia  
• Lewy Body Dementia 
• Family history or increased risk 
• Interest in dementia prevention  

Refer your patients to us for research participation and other Brain Health Resources such as:  

Research Participation  

• The opportunities are vast: Groundbreaking research is underway in our observational discovery and innovation studies, investigational medicine trials and exercise and lifestyle intervention trials. 

MyAlliance for Brain Health 

• Provides patients and caregivers with weekly communications about brain health information on nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle; advice and support; invitations webinars and other events; and research study opportunities. 

 LEAP! Lifestyle Empowerment for Alzheimer’s Prevention 

• The LEAP! program translates the latest Alzheimer's disease prevention research into actionable recommendations for everyday life. 

 Referral Request Form 

For Questions about research, programs, or resources call 913-588-0555 or email kuadrc@kumc.edu.

Anti-Amyloid Therapy Clinic (AATC)

The University of Kansas Health System Anti-Amyloid Therapy Clinic partners with neurologists and primary care providers to manage FDA-approved monoclonal antibody therapies (e.g., Leqembi and Kisunla). Our clinic specializes in the rigorous eligibility screening, infusion management, and safety monitoring required for these therapies.

Who Should Be Referred

Patients are eligible for the AATC if they meet the following clinical profile:

• Clinical Stage: Persistent cognitive changes consistent with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or very mild dementia.
• MRI Safety Profile: A brain MRI within the past 12 months is required and must include "susceptibility-sensitive sequences" (such as SWI or SWAN) to assess for microhemorrhages.
  • Patients with 5 or more microhemorrhages, superficial siderosis, severe small vessel disease, or prior large/multiple strokes are generally not candidates for therapy.
• Biomarker Confirmation: Amyloid PET or CSF results (preferred) or an FDA-approved p-tau217: Aβ42 ratio blood test.
  • Note: Patients referred with blood biomarker results alone will typically require additional evaluation visits (e.g., Amyloid PET, APOE) prior to treatment consideration.
• APOE Genotype: Testing is strongly encouraged prior to referral to facilitate Amyloid-related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA) risk counseling and streamline the evaluation process.

How to Refer a Patient

To initiate the evaluation, Fax the referral with the following required documents to 913-945-7508:

1. Clinical Note: Documentation of progressive cognitive decline.
2. Objective Cognitive Testing: Completed within 12 months (e.g., MoCA, MMSE, SLUMS, or Mini-Cog).
3. Abnormal Alzheimer's Biomarker: Amyloid PET or CSF results (preferred) or an FDA-approved p-tau217: Aβ42 ratio blood test.
4. APOE Genotype: Results (if available).
5. Recent Brain MRI (within 12 months): Formal report including susceptibility-sensitive sequences.
6. Patient Contact Info: Current face sheet or contact details.

Call the Memory Care Clinic at 913-588-0970 for further questions.

Helpful Additional Records (if available)

Providing these records can expedite evaluation:

• Recent brain MRI (preferred) or head CT
• Recent labs (CBC, CMP, B12, TSH)
• Amyloid PET, lumbar puncture, or APOE results (if already completed)

What the AATC Will Do

Our team manages the specialized treatment logistics, including:

• Safety Monitoring: Expert interpretation of serial MRI sequences to monitor for ARIA.
• Decision Support: Shared decision-making regarding risks and benefits with patients and care partners.
• Infusion Management: Scheduling, monitoring, and mandatory CMS registry reporting.

Note for Referrals without MRI or AD Biomarker: If a patient has cognitive concerns but lacks both a recent MRI and an abnormal AD biomarker, they should be referred to our Complex Diagnostics Clinic rather than the AATC.

Consider the following cognitive screening algorithm:

• AD-8 used as a cognitive screening tool in all Medicare Wellness Visits
• AD-8 is used when either individuals or families report subjective cognitive concerns
• If AD-8 score >2, incorporate MoCa (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), STMS (Short Test of Mental Status), or SLUMS (St. Louis University Mental Status Exam).
• If MoCa score <25 or STMS score <30 or SLUMS score <27, proceed with full diagnostic workup.
• Short Test of Mental Status - with tips and details (PDF)
• Mini-Cog (PDF)

Information for Referring Providers

Thank you for considering The University of Kansas Health System Memory Care Clinic for your patients with progressive cognitive disorders. As a tertiary academic referral center, we specialize in the diagnosis and management of complex cognitive conditions. Our focus is on enhancing patient and caregiver care, developing personalized treatment plans, and providing access to novel therapies.

Referral Focus

We exclusively accept referrals for progressive cognitive disorders. We do not typically see patients with static cognitive changes (e.g., from traumatic brain injury, cancer-related cognitive impairment, or substance use disorders).

Memory Clinic Sub-Clinics

Our Memory Care Clinic offers specialized sub-clinics designed to meet the diverse needs of patients with cognitive decline:

• Diagnostic Clinic
  • Purpose: Comprehensive evaluation to establish a diagnosis.
  • Referral Reasons: Patients with >6 months of cognitive decline and objective cognitive impairment on screening tests who require specialized testing to establish a diagnosis.
• Comprehensive Support Clinic
  • Purpose: Ongoing management and support after diagnosis.
  • Referral Reasons: Patients with an established diagnosis who need behavioral management, resource connection, or ongoing monitoring.
• Anti-Amyloid Treatment Clinic
  • Purpose: Evaluation for and treatment with anti-amyloid medications.
  • Referral Reasons: Patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild-stage dementia due to Alzheimer's disease who are considering anti-amyloid therapy. This clinic manages infusion therapy and MRI schedules and is not for general cognitive disorder care.

Additional Clinic Information

• E-Consults: Available for patients who have completed a full cognitive assessment visit. We can help confirm a diagnosis, coordinate further advanced testing, or provide treatment recommendations.
• Down Syndrome Clinic: Dedicated to individuals with Down syndrome who are at high risk for Alzheimer's disease.
• Biopsy Clinic: Offers skin biopsies for alpha-synuclein analysis (relevant for Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia).
• KU ADRC Research: We conduct clinical trials for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Patients can be referred directly for consideration in a research trial without a prior visit to the Memory Care Clinic.
  • For research inquiries, please fill out a research referral form or have your patient contact our research coordinating team at 913-588-0555, option 1.

Patient Referral Process

To refer a patient to the Memory Care Clinic, please fax the following required records to our Referral Services Center, 913-588-5785.

• Relevant clinic notes: This note must detail the progressive nature of the cognitive concern prompting the referral.
• Abnormal cognitive testing: Documentation of objective cognitive impairment, performed within the last 12 months.
  • This can include abnormal bedside screening tests such as the AD8, Mini-Cog, MMSE, MoCA, SLUMS, STMS, or other validated cognitive screening tools.
  • If bedside testing is borderline or normal but clinical concern for cognitive impairment remains, we recommend ordering detailed neuropsychological testing first and refer the patient only if that testing is indicative of objective cognitive impairment.
• Patient/family contact information/face sheet.

Additional helpful tests to include in the referral (if available):

• Reversible labs (CBC/CMP/B12/TSH) within the last 12 months.
• Recent brain scans (MRI preferred; a CT head scan is acceptable if an MRI cannot be obtained).

Once the required records are received, the Memory Care Clinic team will review them for referral consideration.

The Visual Guide: Mood and Behavioral Challenges in Dementia provides a way to think through mood and behavioral challenges and potential directions to respond to them for individuals who have moderate impairment. 

A Visual Guide to Dementia (English)

A Visual Guide to Dementia (Spanish)

Dementia CareAssist App of The Visual Guide to Dementia 

The KU ADRC launched the Cognitive Care Network (CCN) in 2019 to increase access to care and support across Kansas, and help providers throughout the region incorporate early-stage-sensitive screening tools into their practice.

Objectives

• Advance early detection of cognitive disorders.
• Provide a collaborative system that can advance education and support of individuals who are diagnosed with MCI, Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia.
• Move the current crisis-driven model of dementia care to an empowerment model, including advancing health literacy, personal control, wellness planning, and a collaborative approach to disease management

Partnership with Primary Care Providers

The Cognitive Care Network creates much-needed partnerships with primary care providers throughout the state, with a special focus on rural and other areas where there aren’t enough dementia-specialized neurologists to respond to the growing numbers of patients with cognitive concerns. In neurologically uncomplicated cases, the primary care provider is the best and most timely resource for diagnostic evaluation. The Cognitive Care Network supports providers through educational opportunities; recommended screening, diagnostic and disclosure protocols; and incorporation of co-management practitioners – dementia-specific “navigators” – when needed.

These navigators are a tremendously valuable resource for providers, patients, and caregivers. Experienced CCN navigators are incorporated into primary care practices and work with individuals and families following a new diagnosis of a dementia, rather than waiting for a crisis and integrating support services then. The CCN navigators can also be involved when patients with an existing diagnosis have needs.

With earlier detection and engagement, the person living with a dementia better understands how to address, adjust, compensate, and plan for challenges that can be experienced as part of this disease.

For more information about participating in the Cognitive Care Network, please contact Michelle Niedens at cniedens2@kumc.edu or 913-945-7310.

Additional Resources

• Minnesota ACT on Alzheimer’s 
• Provider training opportunities with KU ADRC