Overview
Setting the right expectations before testing helps patients feel comfortable and ensures accurate results. Clear communication before and during the assessment can prevent interruptions, confusion, and invalid results.
Before Testing: Setting Expectations
When preparing a patient for a BrainCheck cognitive assessment, be sure to:
Explain the purpose:
“BrainCheck is a digital cognitive health assessment that helps us get a clear, accurate picture of how your brain is working today. It supports early detection of changes, allows us to monitor over time, and helps guide planning so we can work toward better brain health together.”
Set the time commitment:
“The test usually takes between 10–15 minutes to complete.”
Stress the need for one sitting:
“Once we start, we need to complete the test without breaks for accurate results.”
Prepare the environment:
Quiet space, comfortable seating, and good lighting.
Ask family members or caregivers to step out of the room while the patient completes testing.
This provides the patient with privacy and reduces stress or pressure to perform, helping ensure more accurate results.
Prepare the patient:
Glasses on if needed.
Phones and other distractions put away.
Restroom break before starting.
During Active Testing: Supporting the Patient
General Guidelines
Remain available: Stay nearby (in-person) or connected (telehealth) to monitor and assist.
Minimal coaching: Answer any questions during the practice portion of the tests.
We advise staff to take the assessment themselves beforehand to feel comfortable with the instructions and flow.
What You Can Do
Remind them to read instructions carefully before each task begins.
Help with technical issues (e.g., screen freezing, needing to click the correct button).
Encourage them to do their best and not to worry about right or wrong answers.
What You Should Avoid
Avoid prompting or providing feedback about performance.
Do not pause the test — if an interruption occurs, you will need to restart from the beginning.
What Patients Will See: Task Instructions and Screens
Clear instructions and task orientation reduce confusion that can artificially lower a score. This matters most for patients with lower health literacy or hearing impairment, and for those less familiar with digital interfaces. Some of the instructions patients will see include:
Immediate & Delayed Recognition: A countdown screen (“Test will begin in 3...2...1...”) appears before each task.
Trails A & B: Practice screens show the full set of 25 dots, with 5 active. The instructions are worded for clarity.
Key Reminders for Staff
Once the test starts, BrainCheck automatically moves through each section.
If the patient seems confused, clarify instructions before the timer starts for that section.
For Delayed Recognition tasks, avoid interruptions entirely — timing is critical for accurate scoring.
Trails B proceeds when a patient’s Trails A performance suggests they were not at a ceiling, which gives a more complete picture of executive function.
Patients who do not finish Stroop or Trails A/B within the time limit receive a score for the portion they completed. Check for a prior timeout before treating an improvement at a later visit as progress.