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Functional Assessment Staging Test (FAST)
The Functional Assessment Staging Test (FAST) is a simple and reliable scale used to assess and stage the functional decline associated with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, rather than specifically for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). MCI is considered an intermediate stage between normal age-related cognitive decline and more severe cognitive impairment seen in conditions like dementia.
Healthcare professionals may use tools like the FAST on individuals with MCI to monitor any potential progression of cognitive decline and functional impairment over time. This can help in understanding the trajectory of cognitive changes and inform decisions about interventions or support services. The test provides a snapshot of a person's daily living skills, offering valuable insights to guide management and support for patients and their families and care partners. In this assessment, we ask the Test Administrator (TA) or Care Partner to select the item that best represents the patient's level of dependence. If more than one option applies to the patient, we ask them to select the lowest item (representing the highest level of dependence).
Instant Results
After designing our initial assessment in 2021, we recognized a gap in catering to Medical Assistants (MAs), primary users who require instant access to results on the testing device. Within one quarter, we implemented this feature for our customers, making it a standard practice for each assessment to provide scores promptly on the Admin App. This streamlined process, including access to the PDF through a web view, enables MAs to efficiently triage next steps. Moreover, the PDF is automatically uploaded to the Electronic Health Record (EHR), eliminating the need for Providers to access the Linus Portal.
PERSONAS
Older Adults/Patients (aged 55+): This user would be an older adult (him/her/them), who may live independently in the community or in an assistive facility and may visit clinics for regular or acute check-ups. In the Linus platform Patients will have the ability to take assessments and view patient facing reports.
Practice Managers: The person who manages the operational aspects of a clinic or practice. In the Linus platform they will have a Clinical Administrator role and have the ability to add and deactivate users in the system.
Clinicians (ex: MD, DO, NP, PA, RN, MA): This can be any healthcare provider or other qualified healthcare professional. In the Linus platform they will have the Clinician role which will give them the ability to add patients, administer assessments and view reports and recommendations.
Primary Site Contacts, Manager Role: These are contacts at our clinical sites who may have responsibility across multiple sites and may want to view patients across many clinic locations within a parent organization. In the Linus platform, Managers have the ability to view the web portal for multiple clinic locations, but they cannot administer assessments.
Linus Admin: A Linus Health employee in the Customer Support department who configures the software for customers and access the system data to help troubleshoot and guide customers through their use of the system.
Researcher: An academic, pharmaceutical or clinical researcher interested in capturing and analyzing tremor or cognitive assessment data.
Personas
We crafted Fictional Characters based on our UXR research, representing diverse user types who may engage with our product or service features. Developing personas is instrumental in comprehending our users' needs, experiences, behaviors, and goals. It enables us to step into the users' shoes, acknowledging their varied needs and expectations. Personas simplify the design process, guide our ideation, and contribute to creating a positive user experience for the target user group.