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Department of Neurosciences Department of Neurosciences
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For Physicians 

Make a Referral

Physicians have historically been one of the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center's (ADRC) most valuable sources of participant referrals. We hope to improve physician confidence in making referrals to our center by helping them recognize the ways in which their patients' involvement in our center's programs may complement the clinical care they can provide.

We do not replace you as a health care provider, as we are not a treatment center.  Rather, we seek a cooperative relationship in which our role is to give patients feedback on their current status and an opportunity to make a valuable contribution to research investigating Alzheimer's disease and related memory disorders. In addition, we offer no-cost Quality of Life Programs for patients and their caregivers whether they are willing and able to participate in research or not.   

Benefits to Patients

Research participation is an excellent complement to clinical care for your patients.

benefits of participating

How to Refer

For UCSD, Memory Disorders and Brain Health Clinic Providers:

UCSD Providers can streamline referrals by using EPIC Smartphrase to make a direct referral to research and quality of life programs. 

Smartphrase for ECOB providers

For UCSD Providers:

UCSD Providers can streamline referrals by using EPIC Smartphrase to make a direct referral to research and quality of life programs. 

EPIC smartphrase-ucsd providers

For Non-UCSD Providers:

You can make a direct referral by using our web-based referral form OR you can make an indirect referral by encouraing your patients to contact us.

referral for non-ucsd providers

Who to Refer

We are recruiting volunteers to discover ways to prevent, treat, and ultimately eradicate ADRD for clinical and biomarker studies as well as clinical trials. If your patient has any of the following diagnosis, they may be a good candidate to refer:

  • Mild Cognitive Impairment
  • Early stage Alzheimer's disease
  • Young onset Alzheimer's disease (younger than 65 at age of symptom onset)
  • Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)
  • Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)
  • LATE
  • Normal cognition if 75+

Each study has specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Major exclusions for most studies include:

  • Major stroke
  • Unstable medical or psychiatric conditions
  • Severe cognitive impairment
  • Lack of a study partner
  • Less than 5 years of education or education equivalency
  • Unable to participate in biomarker procedures (MRI, PET & LP)

We are committed to being prompt and professional when contacting your patients.  We will be more than happy to give you updates regarding the patients you refer to the ADRC as long as the patient provides authorization. Please feel free to contact us at (858) 822-4800 or participate@ucsd.edu if you would like more information or have questions.

If you would like to have one of our faculty clinicians present to your team to provide an 'Update on research and clinical care', please reach out via email at participate@ucsd.edu. 

Enrolling Studies

Enrolling Observational Studies

 

Enrolling Clinical Trials

Clinician Resources 

From the CADC 

The following California Alzheimer's Disease Centers (CADC) Assessment of Cognitive Complaints for Alzheimer's Disease (ACCT-AD) screening resources are for providers to use to screen for Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias during patient wellness visits. 

From SMADRC