Last month, we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Morgan Ingemanson from Evoke Neuroscience to present our September CHAMPS Talks. She shared information about Evoke’s flagship product, the eVox® System which measures memory loss biomarkers to aid in diagnosis. CHAMPS is impressed with the product and excited about the opportunity to share it with our members through Premier’s contract with Evoke.

Here are some of the highlights Dr. Ingemanson covered:

MEMORY LOSS CONUNDRUM

According to Dr. Ingemanson, up to 20 percent of those over 65 exhibits detectable symptoms of mild cognitive impairment. But, diagnosis can be challenging – many are diagnosed too late, misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. We’re missing a huge portion of patients suffering from memory loss.

Memory complaints are frequent but not all memory problems are related to dementia, therefore diagnosis is much more complex.

WHY EARLY DIAGNOSIS MATTERS

Early diagnosis of memory loss matters for several reasons:

1. Some memory problems can be readily treated.
2. The earlier the diagnosis, the easier to treat.
3. Trials have shown it’s possible to prevent cognitive decline or reverse memory loss.

LIMITATIONS TO DIAGNOSING MEMORY LOSS

We have two main tools for diagnosing the cause of memory loss today, but each come with their limitations:

1. Cognitive screeners, are subjective and don’t assess the brain directly.
2. Brain imaging is expensive, can be invasive and usually requires a referral, with the exception of Electroencephalograms (EEGs).

Evoke Neuroscience believes in a more modern, comprehensive approach to differential diagnosis called the memory test trifecta: Behavioral Effort, Biochemical Test and Brain Electrophysiology (e.g., EEGs).

EVOX SYSTEM

The eVox System is FDA-cleared to aid in memory loss diagnosis. It’s an in-office system physicians use to assess and measure brain health, and reimburses an average of $739 per patient up to two times a year through commercial and Medicare insurances. Most importantly, it provides very useful clinical information.

eVox measures memory loss biomarkers to aid in diagnosis by differentiating who truly has dementia versus who is suffering from pseudo-dementia by assessing:

1. Cognitive Capacity
2. Event-Related Potential Latency
3. Brain Activity

Through these assessments, the eVox System provides direct objective measurements of how the brain functions. These assessments can all be performed in a medical office in 45 minutes or less.

If eVox system sounds like something you’d like to learn more about, contact us for information on the packages available to you through our GPO contract.