Enhancing Neuropsychological Assessment Clinical Pathways in Parkinson's Disease Through the Use of Technology

Elton Henry Savio Lobo^1*Peter Worthy²Deborah Brooks¹Kirstine Shrubsole¹Dana Pourzinal¹Deepa Sriram¹Rachel Fels¹Ji Hyun Yang¹Jacki Liddle¹Leander Mitchell¹Nadeeka Dissanayaka¹

• ¹The University of Queensland Faculty of Health Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, Herston, Australia
• ²School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

Routine neuropsychological assessments for cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease (PD) face implementation barriers including lengthy administration, neuropsychologist shortages, and resource constraints. Understanding current practices remains crucial before introducing technological solutions. This preliminary PDCogniCare project study examined neuropsychological assessment practices for people with PD to identify technological integration opportunities. Fifteen clinical experts across two Australian public health services participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using inductive coding and journey mapping approaches. Analysis revealed a four-phase assessment journey: initiation, brief cognitive screening, detailed neuropsychological assessment, and feedback. Distinct pathway variations existed between services. Key challenges included extended waiting times, prolonged assessment duration, complex reporting requirements, and limited cognitive assessment awareness among patients and referring clinicians. While technology integration could begin to address some of these challenges through streamlined processes and improved access, barriers such as system integration, user adoption, and assessment methodology constraints require consideration. These findings reveal the complexity of neuropsychological assessment pathways and identified potential areas for technological enhancement. Future research from the PDCogniCare project will aim to address these areas by employing appropriate methodologies and theoretical models to guide the design and development of technologies for neuropsychological assessments in PD.