| 67 3 Discussion This mixed methods study aimed to investigate how healthcare providers perceive and experience the gap between the diagnostic trajectory and postdiagnostic support. From a healthcare provider’s viewpoint, limited access to healthcare systems, long waiting times in the diagnostic trajectory and poor interdisciplinary collaboration were impeding the transition between the diagnostic trajectory and post-diagnostic support for people with dementia. Healthcare providers frequently expressed dissatisfaction with elements of the diagnostic trajectory and post-diagnostic support. They utilize communication strategies and information to support patients transitioning from a diagnosis to receiving support. The offer of post-diagnostic support services and their level of being informed on the healthcare systems and support services for people with dementia were important in their perceptions of how well the diagnostic trajectory was integrated with post-diagnostic support. To facilitate the transition between the diagnostic trajectory and postdiagnostic support, our findings identified gaps to address in the diagnostic trajectory as well as the post-diagnostic support. In line with other studies, we identified the need to improve access to specialists in the diagnostic trajectory (27, 28) and communication between different healthcare providers to provide optimal post-diagnostic support (29). In our study, we were able to identify interdisciplinary collaboration and access to specialists as ways to facilitate the integration between services for diagnosis and support, demonstrating that they are not only essential on their own but also in providing people with dementia with a more holistic experience of diagnosis and support. Within the diagnostic trajectory, healthcare providers valued making differential diagnoses of dementia. Despite the importance, healthcare providers in this study identified making a differential diagnosis as challenging. Other studies have identified that access to diagnostic tools can help determine and communicate a differential diagnosis (30). A differential diagnosis of dementia is important to inform support needs and personalize support. Needs for post-diagnostic support may differ according to the subtype of dementia (31). For example, frontotemporal dementia caregivers tend to have higher support needs and a lower health-related quality of life compared to Alzheimer caregivers (32, 33). Information about dementia is important to help people with dementia and caregivers, and much attention is paid towards the informational needs and
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