Cognivue to provide cognitive testing in independent pharmacies
Cognitive testing provider Cognivue will be offering its computerized cognitive testing systems in community pharmacies via a new partnership. The company is working with Amina Abubakar, founder and CEO of Avant Institute, and Chris Cornelison, owner and CEO of Solutions Rx, to bring its testing offering to independent pharmacies.
Cognivue’s technologies are designed to equip healthcare providers with a useful tool for cognitive evaluation and diagnosis of various neurodegenerative and neuropsychological disorders. The digital system is engineered to eliminate bias and variability throughout the test that establishes cognitive baselines and provides a concurrent monitoring vehicle for the evaluation and treatment of cognitive issues over time.
“Today’s independent pharmacists must think beyond dispensing and look for additional ways to provide expanded patient care,” Abubakar said. “The Avant Institute was created to offer training for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy students on the knowledge and practical application of clinical pharmacy services. By offering cognitive screening, community pharmacists can play a crucial role in a healthcare continuum that serves a diverse and growing at-risk population for dementia.”
The company said that easily accessible cognitive function testing has the potential to become part of a standard of care at a much earlier time in a person’s life, while there is still time to possibly mitigate symptoms of impairment prior to more serious disease onset. The subsequent collaborative care model merits ongoing cognitive functional testing outside of a primary care or neurological medical office setting — including community pharmacies.
“As a pharmacist, entrepreneur and consultant, I work with community pharmacies every day to help them establish protocols and processes that integrate patient value-added clinical services,” Cornelison said. “Implementing Cognivue Thrive, a five-minute self-administered computerized screening of cognitive function, enables community pharmacists to differentiate their business and attract new customers. It strengthens referrals with local physicians by making this service available to their patients while also complementing in-store sales of products such as brain health supplements.”
“Cognivue’s technology objectively, quantitatively and reliably identifies cognitive status and can elevate the standard of care for cognitive health assessment and treatment,” said Tom O’Neill, president and CEO of Cognivue. “Early detection of cognitive impairment is critically important in order for patients to make timely decisions to manage their condition. Our partnership with two well-respected industry leaders, such as Amina and Chris, will help us unlock the potential reach and significant positive impact community pharmacists can have as part of the healthcare continuum.”