The experiences of non-medical health professionals undertaking community-based health assessments for people aged 75 years and over.
Our objective was to explore the perceptions of allied health professionals who conducted over 3000 home-based health assessments within the general-practice-dominated Australian primary healthcare system. A series of semistructured qualitative interviews were carried out within the Department of Veterans' Affairs 'Preventive Care Trial', where health assessments are undertaken by health professionals in the homes of participating veterans and war widows. Health professionals were employed within the Preventive Care Trial to conduct assessments in 10 areas of New South Wales and Queensland. Subjects were mainly registered nurses, but also included a social worker, an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist and a psychologist. The health professionals described positive attitudes towards the health assessments, and showed that they have the broad range of necessary personal and professional skills to undertake them. Home visits were seen as an essential component and the most useful aspects included direct observation of home safety and medications. This study demonstrates that health assessments for older people can be acceptably and competently undertaken by suitably qualified allied health professionals, and that an effective collaborative approach to patient care can be achieved through such a system.
Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Newcastle, Australia. jbles@cceb.newcastle.edu.au
Julie E
JE
Byles
Lyn
L
Francis
Mary
M
McKernon
D000368:Aged; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009517:New South Wales; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011361:Professional Competence; D011793:Queensland; D014728:Veterans