interRAI is the trademark name for the suite of meticulously-researched clinical assessments that build a picture of a person’s health and wellbeing needs. Each assessment provides information to inform clinical decision-making and care planning.
The interRAI international consortium develops, maintains and reviews assessment instruments using rigorous research standards. They license member countries to use interRAI assessments. The consortium has developed assessment instruments for children, youth and adults, across a broad range of healthcare settings. interRAI Services is licensed to provide six assessments for use in New Zealand.
The assessments are:
interRAI Services delivers a range of services to support the use of interRAI assessments in New Zealand.
interRAI Services is a business unit within Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora. We work in collaboration with IT, Health of Older People and clinical assessment colleagues across the motu to deliver excellence in assessment to health consumers.
We’re part of the Planning, Funding and Outcomes team, led by Dr Dale Bramley.
We're on a journey to implement and improve interRAI assessments in New Zealand. Here's what we've achieved since we began in 2003.
The Culturally Appropriate Assessment model report is published. An implementation project begins.
Work begins to develop a Culturally Appropriate Assessment Model.
Palliative Care assessment expanded into aged residential care.
New interRAI governance ecosystem created according to service design recommendations.
The interRAI Acute Care assessment becomes available. This assessment is for use in hospitals.
Online training is developed in response to COVID-19.
The interRAI Service design report is published. Implementation begins.
First interRAI Knowledge Exchange takes place, interRAI Research Network established.
interRAI data visualisation tool developed.
The Palliative Care assessment is introduced. It's an assessment for people who have a terminal prognosis, and live in the community.
TAS becomes the national service provider for interRAI in New Zealand.
2012 All DHBs are using interRAI to assess older people’s needs, for home and community support services
interRAI becomes mandatory in Aged Residential Care from July 2015. New Zealand is the first country in the world to use the assessment tools nationwide.
The New Zealand Aged Care Association and DHBs support using interRAI assessments in Aged Residential Care. Use of the assessments is voluntary.
The interRAI National DHB Implementation Project begins. interRAI is implemented in phases. DHBs take individual responsibility for implementation, subject to national criteria.
All DHB Chief Executives support national implementation of interRAI home and community assessments.
Five District Health Boards (DHBs) pilot the interRAI Home Care assessment. Results showed the importance of consistent training.
The New Zealand Best Practice Guidelines - Assessment Processes for Older People is published. It states interRAI assessments are the best choice to meet the objectives of the 2002 Health of Older People Strategy.