In addition to classifying allied health activity, the NRS
Steering Committee recognised a need to collect additional data items
in relation to a patient visit or episode of care. These data include
characteristics about the patient, the setting in which services are provided,
and information on the referral agent and service provider. A shortlist
of data items was developed by the Steering Committee which was then subjected
to an extensive national verification process across 56 organisations.
The objective of the verification process was to identify data items which
should be collected by all allied health service providers ie the minimum
data set. These data are considered essential to effective management
and provision of allied health services.
The table following sets out the elements of the data set
with descriptions which were agreed by the Steering Committee of the NRS
project for use across Australia.
| Data
Type |
Description
|
Source **
|
| Unique Client Identifier |
Person Identifier unique
within establishment or agency. |
NHDD |
| Sex |
The sex of the person. |
NHDD |
| Date of Birth |
The date of birth of the
person. |
NHDD |
| Indigenous Status |
An Aboriginal or Torres
Strait Islander is a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
and is accepted as such by the community with which he or she is associated
( High Court of Australia in Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 46 ALR). |
NHDD |
| Area of Usual Residence |
Geographic location of usual
residence as stated by the person. The geographical location is reported
using a five digit number code. The first digit is the single digit
code to indicate State or Territory. The remaining four digits are
numerical code for the Statistical local are within the State or Territory. |
NHDD |
| Postcode |
4-digit Postcode of area
of the usual residence of the person. |
Aust. Post |
| Telephone/Contact Number |
The telephone number or
contact telephone number for the person. |
NRS SC |
| Need for Interpreter Services |
Need for interpreter services
(yes/no) as perceived by the client. The actual provision or not of
interpreter services is not relevant to this item. |
NHDD |
| Preferred Language |
The language ( including
sign language) most preferred by the person for communication. This
may be a language other than English even where the person can speak
fluent English. |
NHDD |
| Compensable Status |
Any client who is entitled
to the payment of, or who has been paid compensation for, damages
or other benefits ( including a payment in settlement of a claim for
compensation, damages or other benefits ) in respect of the injury,
illness or disease for which he or she is receiving care and treatment,
is classified as a compensable patient.
This definition excludes entitled beneficiaries
( Veteransí Affairs) and Defence Force personnel treated in public
and private hospitals. It also excludes Motor Accidents (Compensation)
Act 1979 (NT) beneficiaries treated as public patients (on first
admission) in Northern Territory hospitals. On second and subsequent
admissions, Territory Insurance Office patients should be counted
as compensable patients.
|
NHDD |
| Carer Availability |
The carer is any person,
for example, family, friend or neighbour, who is giving regular, ongoing
assistance to the identified client without payment other than the
pension or benefit.
This excludes formal services such as Delivered
Meals or Home Help, persons arranged by formal services such as
volunteers, and also excludes funded group housing or similar situations.
Availability infers willingness and ability to undertake
the caring role. In those circumstances where a potential carer
is not prepared to undertake the role, or when their capacity to
carry out the necessary tasks is minimal, then the client must be
coded as not having a formal carer.
|
CNMD |
| Date
of Service |
The date
on which services are provided to the client. |
NRS SC |
| Date of Admission (for hospital
admitted patients only ) |
The date on which an admitted
patient commences an episode of care by one of the following processes.
- Formal admission is the administrative process
by which a hospital records the commencement of treatment and/or
care and accommodation of a patient.
- Statistical admission ( excluding nursing homes
) is the administrative process by which a patient who has been
statistically separated recommences treatment and/or care and
accommodation and occurs in the following circumstances:
- Statistical admission following leave of absence
exceeding seven consecutive days for admitted patients; or
- Statistical admission on type change or transfer
between episodes of care within the one hospital stay.
|
NHDD |
| Client Type |
Whether service provided
on an inpatient, sameday inpatient, outpatient, community, or other
basis. |
NRS SC |
| Service Provider |
Identification of staff
engaged in service provision to client
( either staff identification number or staffing
level )
|
NRS SC |
| Party Relationship |
Identifies to whom services
were provided:
- single client, new ( initial visit in 12 months)
- single client, follow-up (2nd or subsequent visit)
- group
- carer or family
- community agency
- other, please specify
|
DACS |
| Referral Source |
Source from which the person
was transferred/referred to the treating agency. |
NHDD |
| Treatment Settings |
Describes the setting in
which treatment was provided:
- hospital
- school
- pre-school
- community health centre
- residential visit
- work visit
- other, please specify
|
NRS SC |
| Indicator for Intervention |
Discipline specific diagnosis
(which may or may not have been developed at this stage by individual
professional associations) |
NRS SC |
| Diagnosis |
The medical diagnosis/es
of the client |
NHDD |
