Predicting professional resource input in home care: the ONI survey

OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of the ONI (On-going Needs Identification) survey to predict resource requirements in the home care sector. METHODS: Data from an urban community-based services provider was used to test whether certain indicators captured in the ONI survey may also predict professional service time. RESULTS: The data revealed a link between several ONI indicators and professional service time. This explained 30% and 40% of the variance in nursing and allied health time, respectively. Both functional profile and gender impacted on nursing time. There was also an inverse relationship between allied health and nursing service time. The overall needs priority rating (OPR) score, derived from the ONI survey, was found to be less effective as a predictor. CONCLUSION: ONI variables impacted differently on nursing and allied health hours. It is therefore important to consider variables based on profession when planning for resources in the community sector. As labour costs are the largest component of home-based service provision, the ONI survey has the potential to become a cost predictor which is integrated into the processes of clinical care, and hence acceptable to clinicians.