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The BCAT® Test System is comprised of six unique assessment instruments. The primary and foundational test is the Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool (BCAT®), which is multifactorial. It can be administered in 10-15 minutes by professionals and techs, is sensitive to the full spectrum of cognitive functioning (normal, MCI, dementia), produces separate Memory Factor and Executive Functions Factor scores, and can predict basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL, IADL). The BCAT® has also been shown to help predict discharge dispositions, identify those most likely to be readmitted to hospitals shortly after discharge, facilitate level of care determinations, aid in fall prevention programs, and help with non-pharmacological behavior management.

The BCAT®-SF is designed as a shorter version of the full BCAT®. The Short Form can be administered in three minutes or less. While it is not as robust or comprehensive as the full BCAT®, the short version has strong reliability, construct validity, and predictive validity. When time is particularly limited (e.g., primary care settings), the six-item, 21-point short form is a dependable cognitive screening tool. The Short Form can differentiate between persons with and without dementia. It can be downloaded or used as an online tool.  The short form is frequently used within an inter-professional model as a screening tool to identify who should receive broader BCAT® testing and BCAT® interventions.

The Brief Anxiety and Depression Scale (BADS®) is a brief screening tool for mood impairment developed for older adults. It can be administered by a clinician, by proxy (knowledgeable informant), or self-administered for those who are cognitively capable. The BADS® can be administered in less than three minutes. The online interactive scoring program yields a depression and an anxiety factor score. They can provide an indication of probable clinical depression and/or anxiety, but a diagnosis should not be based on the BADS® alone.

The Kitchen Picture Test of Judgment (KPT®) was designed as a visually presented test of practical judgment. The KPT® is one of the two judgment instruments in our suite of tools. It is intended to identify those who require supervision of IADLs. The KPT® utilized in illustration of a kitchen scene in which potentially dangerous situations are unfolding. Patients are asked to describe the scene as fully as they can, to identify the problem situations, to rank the order of importance of each situation in terms of dangerousness, and to offer solutions that would resolve the problems. The KPT® has been found to have construct validity (it measures the construct "judgment") and can be used to differentiate between those who have dementia and those who do not.

The Verbal Test of Practice Judgment (VPJ®) is our second judgment test. It is designed to detect more nuanced and subtle judgment problems.  The VPJ® consists of 10 novel applied situations that require reasonable judgment. The VPJ® not only identifies judgment skills level but identifies specific IADL dependencies associated with levels of impaired judgment.  Like all BCAT® tests, The VPJ® has specific reports that can be integrated into an electronic health record.

The Brief Cognitive Impairment Scale (BCIS®) was designed to assess the cognitive functioning of patients with severe dementia. The BCIS® is an 11-item, 14-point scale. It was developed to not only track cognitive changes in patients with advanced specifically, but to provide information to better manage behavior problems. We recommend using the BCIS® when severe cognitive impairment has already been established, or when the patient scores under 25 on the BCAT®. It is most effective in confirming severe impairment and tracking cognitive changes over time in advanced dementia.