Outlining the bases of person-centred integrative diagnosis

RATIONAL AND AIMS: As diagnosis is a critical first step for clinical care, it was early recognized that an appropriate diagnostic model was necessary as informational basis for person-centred clinical care.

The design of a person-centred integrative diagnosis model was based on literature reviews and work meetings in London, Paris, Geneva, Preston, UK and Uppsala, Sweden over the past 2 years.

The current person-centred integrative diagnosis model argues for a broader concept of diagnosis and covers both ill health and positive health through the following three levels: Health Status (from illness to recovery/wellness and from disabilities to adaptive functioning), Experience of Health (cultural factors and values concerning ill health and positive health) and Contributory Factors (including internal and external risk and protective factors). Each of these domains will be evaluated with standardized categories and dimensions as well as narratives. Specific attention is paid to evaluators (clinicians, patient, family and other carers) and the interactive evaluation process.