Table 1 Description of the HRA-O intervention as implemented in the PRO-AGE study

General goals of the

To identify risks for functional decline and problems

intervention

To achieve favourable change in health-related behaviour

To facilitate preventative care use

Training of health professionals

Use of a specially prepared manual as a basis for training of GPs and additional health professionals involved in the intervention (copy available, see additional available material)

Initial and follow-up training of GPs and additional health professionals involved in the intervention in groups, led by one of the project physicians trained in preventative geriatric medicine

Use of HRA-O instrument

Mailing of HRA-O questionnaire to participants (copy available, see reference No. 7)

Written individualised participant feed-back report

Written provider HRA-O summary feed-back report

Personal reinforcement of

GP verifies presence of identified risks and problems (as described in HRA-O summary report)

HRA-O by GP

Patient discusses recommendations of participant feed-back report with their GP (opportunistically at GP-patient encounter)

GP motivates the patient to favourably change health behaviour and use recommended preventative care (opportunistically at GP-patient encounter)

Additional site-specific

London: GP gets reminders of identified risks and problems in EMR

reinforcement

Hamburg: Participants are offered one group session by interdisciplinary team or two home visits by nurse

Solothurn: Participants are offered six-monthly home visits by health nurses over a two-year period