interRAI Assessments
The primary purpose of interRAI assessments is to accurately determine the characteristics of a person in order to fully understand their needs, ranging from clinical to social support and prepare a care plan. The information provided by interRAI assessment supports the decisions made by a healthcare professional.
Each assessment has items specific to the assessment, for example, palliative items for the Palliative Care assessment instrument, as well as a set of core items that are shared across assessments.
A person’s responses to the assessment and the outcome measures produced may be tracked over time and across a continuum of care.
The interRAI suite consists of over 20 assessment instruments covering different areas of healthcare. In New Zealand, we use five of these.
For more information, visit www.interrai.org
Assessments currently used in New Zealand
|
Assessment |
Description |
|
Contact Assessment (CA) |
A basic screening assessment that provides clinical information to support decision making about the need and urgency for a comprehensive assessment, support and specialised rehabilitation services. It is used for continuing evaluation of those with non-complex needs living at home in the community. |
|
Community Health Assessment (CHA) |
The Community Health assessment and its accompanying supplements is a modular approach to comprehensive clinical assessment. Everyone is assessed using the core assessment, then only those older adults with specific problem areas receive one or more of the additional assessments:
The Community Health assessment together with the functional supplement has all the same items and clinical outcome scales as the Home Care assessment. |
|
Home Care Assessment (HC) |
A comprehensive clinical assessment that informs and guides the planning of care and services in community-based settings. It focuses on the person’s functioning and quality of life and helps support clinical decision-making when considering aged residential care. |
|
Palliative Care Assessment (PC) |
A comprehensive assessment of the strengths, preferences and needs of older adults where a palliative care focus is required. |
|
Acute Care Assessment (AC) |
A hospital-based assessment to inform rehabilitative care for ACC clients. |
|
Long Term Care Facilities Assessment (LTCF) |
A comprehensive assessment for evaluating the needs, strengths and preferences of those in aged residential care. The assessment enables a health care provider to assess key issues that will help with individualised care planning. |