Use of a health record diary (HRD)

• Reach:

  VIC

• Focus area:

  Indigenous

• Status:

  Not specified

• Evaluated:

  No

Overview

The health record diary (HRD) is a patient-held booklet that contains summary health information including health history, current medications, current care plan, contact details of relevant health care providers, and a calendar for health related appointments.

This project study will evaluate the HRD with respect to:

• impact on organisation of care and keeping appointment
• effectiveness of sharing information between providers
• impact of selected clinical indicators
  
• impact on perceptions of 'control' of care.

The HRD is offered to people who have chronic conditions and/or complex care managed by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) medical team. The use of the HRD is being evaluated by a survey administered by an Aboriginal Health Worker at 0, 6, and 12 months. Participation in the evaluation study is voluntary.

Major domains of the survey include:

• demographics
• barriers to keeping clinical appointments
• communication with health care providers outside of the health service
• satisfaction with care
• health monitoring in previous 12 months
  
• items assessing locus of health control
• collection of clinical data.

This resource was developed by Shelley Williams, Healthy for life clinical worker at VAHS.

Victorian Aboriginal Health Service abstract

Contacts

Shelley Williams
Healthy for life clinical worker
Victorian Aboriginal Health Services
186 Nicholson Street
Fitzroy Vic 3065
Ph: (03) 9419 3000
Email: info@vahs.org.au

Links

• View information: Health Record Diary (HRD)
• View information: Victorian Aboriginal Health Service current projects