The ISLAND Clinic

Tasmanian Dementia and Cognitive Assessment Clinic

The ISLAND Clinic is a bulk billed diagnostic interdisciplinary clinic, underpinned by research, that is available to all Tasmanian adults with suspected cognitive impairment. The clinic has been developed by the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania.

This clinic has been established to provide timely assessment and diagnosis of cognitive symptoms and a management plan for the client and GP. The benefits of a timely diagnosis of MCI or dementia include future planning, access to support services, advice regarding driving, modifying risk factors, potential treatment options, and opportunities to take part in research studies.

The Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT) has developed a national clinical quality registry, cognitive clinics, and clinical trials network. The ISLAND clinic will form part of this nationwide cognitive clinic group.

Clients will have the opportunity to participate in research, both current and future, and will have the right to decline research participation at any stage of the process with no compromise to their clinical care.

The interdisciplinary team in the ISLAND Clinic comprises:

• two geriatricians
• a neurologist
• a GP
• a neuropsychologist
• a psychologist
• a physiotherapist
• Dementia Australia volunteers on site.

Eligibility and exclusion criteria

Eligibility:

• Only referrals from a GP are accepted
• The GP must complete all sections of the ISLAND Clinic referral template – this includes a baseline SMMSE, Blood Pressure and all requested pathology
• One of the following 3 eligibility criteria must be met:
  1. Adults with persistent cognitive symptoms for more than 3 months where reversible causes have been excluded or treated.
  2. Previous ISLAND Clinic clients who may have received a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment or had an unclear diagnosis and were invited to reattend for an interval assessment.
  3. Previous ISLAND clinic clients who received a diagnosis of normal cognition but who have gone on to develop persistent cognitive symptoms for more than 3 months where reversible causes have been excluded.

Exclusions:

• Aged <18 years old
• Referrals from any doctors or other healthcare practitioners other than the client’s GP
• Clients who already have a diagnosis of dementia.
• Acute behavioural disturbances.
• Acute psychosis or other acute psychiatric disturbance
• Significant ongoing substance abuse. (We require abstinence from alcohol for 12 months prior to assessment if alcohol induced cognitive change is believed to be the likely cause.)
• Crisis from the carer’s perspective.