Rare Disease Needs Assessment Tool

What are needs assessment tools?

Needs assessment tools (NAT) are used routinely in healthcare for various diseases. These tools are vital in helping health professionals identify areas of needs for their patients. NATs facilitate open communication, prioritise resources, determine suitable support services, and help with referrals to other services. Identifying needs can lead to early interventions and strategies, reduce the burden of disease, and improve both quality of life and health outcomes. An example of an existing needs assessment tools include the PC-NAT for palliative care patients.

A unique tool was recently developed to specifically assesses the supportive care needs of parents caring for a child with a rare disease.