SASKATCHEWAN'S NEW ASSESSMENT SYSTEM IMPROVES THE CARE GIVEN TO LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS

Saskatchewan is committed to becoming the first province in Canada to

adopt a province-wide, computerized long-term care assessment system

designed to improve the care given to long-term care residents,

Associate Minister of Health Judy Junor said today.



"This system will improve the ability of caregivers and administrators

to identify and respond to the specific needs of each resident," Junor

said. "By doing so, we can improve the quality of care long-term

residents receive."



Staff ask each resident a series of standardized questions designed to

gather the minimum amount of information needed for a comprehensive

resident assessment. Staff then can create a personalized care plan

for each resident.



Eight health districts, in partnership with Saskatchewan Health, have

been testing the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment and classification

system.



The Prince Albert Health District has served as a pre-pilot district,

and currently is testing the computer software. Once this testing is

complete, the other seven pilot districts, already using MDS manually,

will begin computerization. It is expected that by March 31, 2001 all

32 health districts will be using the Minimum Data Set.

MDS is quickly gaining world-wide recognition as the standard

resident assessment tool for long-term care and will replace

Saskatchewan's current level 1 to 4 patient classification

system.



The province currently is sharing its MDS expertise with

Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.



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For more information, contact:



Jeff Brown

Communications Branch

Saskatchewan Health

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-4088