Sharing clinical information across care settings: the birth of an integrated assessment system.
BACKGROUND
Population ageing, the emergence of chronic illness, and the shift away from institutional care challenge conventional approaches to assessment systems which traditionally are problem and setting specific.


METHODS
From 2002, the interRAI research collaborative undertook development of a suite of assessment tools to support assessment and care planning of persons with chronic illness, frailty, disability, or mental health problems across care settings. The suite constitutes an early example of a "third generation" assessment system.


RESULTS
The rationale and development strategy for the suite is described, together with a description of potential applications. To date, ten instruments comprise the suite, each comprising "core" items shared among the majority of instruments and "optional" items that are specific to particular care settings or situations.


CONCLUSIONS
This comprehensive suite offers the opportunity for integrated multi-domain assessment, enabling electronic clinical records, data transfer, ease of interpretation and streamlined training.
Gray
Leonard C
LC
The University of Queensland, c/- Academic Unit in Geriatric Medicine, University Department of Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. len.gray@uq.edu.au
Berg
Katherine
K
Fries
Brant E
BE
Henrard
Jean-Claude
JC
Hirdes
John P
JP
Steel
Knight
K
Morris
John N
JN
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale / Q000592:standards; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care