Integrating the Problem-Oriented Record with a Systems Approach to Case Assessment

Abstract

The reliance by practitioners in medicine and the social services on memory, intuition, and clinical experience may lead to invalid or incomplete assessment of problems. The method of case assessment proposed here attempts to ensure through the use of checklists that all crucial areas of information are included in the data-collection process. Data about client, family, primary institution, and socioeconomic environment are then transferred from the checklists to a summary matrix outline form. Causal inferences are given visual representation by vectors between the various system components.