Tauranga Older Persons Comprehensive Assessment Trial

A randomised phase III study evaluating the effectiveness and cost utility of the Minimum Dataset- Home Care (MDS-HC) assessment tool in comparison to the existing Needs and Service Coordination (NASC) assessment process to improve the quality of life for older people in the community requiring these assessment services.

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12606000042549

Acronym

TOPCAT

Enrollment

320

Registered

2006-01-27

Start date

2006-02-28

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

Bay of Plenty DHB is one of five District Health Boards currently trialling the use of a new assessment tool, the Minimum Data Set-Home Care (MDS-HC). The MDS-HC is used to determine the level of need and services required for older people (65+) living in the community. In conjunction with a well-executed care plan, the use of the MDS-HC is expected to improve the quality of care that DHBs can provide. DHBs across the country need information on the best way to implement the tool and this study is the first step towards providing the information and evidence for national implementation, should it prove to be beneficial in the medium to long-term. 320 older people who are referred for assessment through Support Net will be recruited to take part, half will receive standard NASC assessment whereas the other half will receive the MDS-HC assessment. Interviews with the older people will occur at baseline before the assessment and at one, four months and twelve month follow-up. Comparisons will include functional and social measures, cost of services as well as the differences in care plans and services recommended between the two assessment systems.

Interventions

Intervention group receive an assessment using the Minimum Dataset-Home Care (MDS-HC) assessment tool. Both intervention and control groups then have their needs identified from the results of the assessments followed by the development of care plans and services. The intervention and control (the assessment) is a one-off event, with follow-up interviews at one, four and twelve months.

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Treatment

Masking

Blinded (masking used)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

65 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1.Males and females aged 65 or greater years on the day of baseline examination; or aged 55 if of Mäori or Pacific Ethnicity and eligible for NASC/ OPAT services.2.All participants must be eligible for assessment by the three designated MDS-HC assessors.

Exclusion criteria

1.Those clients with a terminal illness and are currently receiving palliative care services2.Participants directly transferred from hospital to permanent residential care after the initial assessment.

Outcome results