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The following is a summary of “How do patients, medical assistants and physicians accept and experience tablet-based cognitive testing by medical assistants in general practice? – A qualitative study,” published in the May 2025 issue of BMC Primary Care by Rolke et al. 

In Germany, around 1.8 million people had dementia, with 360,000-440,000 new cases yearly, but structural issues often delayed general practitioners (GP) diagnoses, resulting in later-stage identification and would collaborate with specialists in neurology, psychiatry and psychotherapy to conduct comprehensive neurological and psychiatric diagnostics.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the acceptance, user experience, and perceived benefits and consequences of implementing tablet-based cognitive testing by medical assistants (MAs) in general practice.  

They performed qualitative interviews with 7 GPs, 6 MAs, and 8 patients to explore the acceptance, user experience, and implications of the tablet-based procedure for general practice care. Semi-structured interviews were carried out using newly developed guidelines. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed following the method of Kuckartz and Rädiker, utilizing MAXQDA software.  

The results showed that all respondent groups viewed digital testing in GP practices positively and MAs welcomed the added responsibilities, patients accepted cognitive assessments addressing their memory concerns. The GPs supported task delegation to MAs. Patients found the tablet-based testing feasible, and MAs reported positive experiences administering the tests. While all groups envisioned long-term implementation and identified potential barriers such as the need for improved specialist communication, limited time availability, and inadequate reimbursement for cognitive testing.  

Investigators concluded that the positive acceptance and user experience helped the feasibility of tablet-based cognitive testing in GP settings, facilitating timely specialist referrals and advocating for better funding and interdisciplinary collaboration in dementia care. 

Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-025-02823-z