InterRAI HC working group Understanding and using scales

The interRAI HC Switzerland is used almost everywhere in Spitex to assess needs. The interRAI HC is a structured assessment that records the client's overall situation for individual care and support needs. The instrument provides the clarifying care professional with CAPs (Clinical Assessment Protocols) and scales that are used to assess the support needs of a client. The working group aims to fill knowledge gaps around the interRAI HC scales;

First, the group looked at cognitive abilities and the Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS) 1 and 2 - and has now developed a comprehensive Specialist articles created. This explains the scales and their application in detail and also contains recommendations for nursing practice;

In addition, the working group has devoted itself to the application of the Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL) scales. In this Technical article practical recommendations for the use of the BADL scales are given using the example of a client with dementia.

Further scales will be investigated by the working group in the future. In this way, the working group is making an important contribution to ensuring that the scales are used sensibly.

Position paper on medication management - the role of Spitex

Medication management in Spitex is a process that involves various stakeholders such as pharmacists, pharmacy specialists, nursing staff, GPs, specialist doctors, medical practice assistants, clients and relatives. Medication management is very error-prone. Many interfaces and unclear responsibilities increase the risk of errors and thus jeopardize patient safety (Meyer Masetti et al., 2012; 2018; Spitex Magazin, 2023). AFG Spitex has therefore drawn up a position paper on medication management in Spitex. Based on best practice, current literature and the information provided by the Caton Pharmacists' Association (2009), the position paper helps Spitex organizations and other players in the healthcare sector to offer safe medication management.

To the position paper

Top 5 Liste Spitex Pflege

Die Arbeitsgruppe Best Home Care Practice hat eine Top-5-Liste Spitex Pflege erarbeitet, welche seit Januar 2026 auf der Homepage von Smarter Medicine veröffentlicht ist.

Mit diesen praxisnahen Empfehlungen leistet die Akademische Fachgesellschaft Spitex Pflege einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Förderung einer qualitativ hochstehenden, evidenzbasierten und verantwortungsvollen Pflege im ambulanten Setting. Ziel ist es, Über- und Fehlversorgung zu vermeiden und den Fokus konsequent auf den Nutzen für Patientinnen und Patienten zu legen.

Wir freuen uns, die Top-5-Empfehlungen im Verlauf vom 2026 aktiv zu thematisieren und in den fachlichen Diskurs einzubringen. Besonders freuen wir uns, wenn die Empfehlungen in der Praxis ankommen, diskutiert und im Pflegealltag umgesetzt werden.

Übersicht der Top-5-Empfehlungen Spitex Pflege.

If you have any questions or concerns about the project, please get in touch here.

StopFall

Some members of the Best Home Care Practice working group have developed a manual with a procedure for fall risk assessment for Spitex organizations as part of the StoppSturz project. It stipulates that Spitex employees should first clarify the alarm signs for the risk of falls in people over 65 years of age. When assessing the risk, the qualified nurse uses the traffic light system. It distinguishes between low (green), moderate (orange) and high (red) risk of falling. Secondly, the qualified nurse draws on their clinical and nursing experience when assessing the risk. The project was completed in 2021. Publications and information about the project can be found here.

The project's steering group was chaired by the Office for Preventive Health Care of the Canton of St. Gallen.

StoppSturz: An insight into the work of AFG Spitex Pflege

Publications

Durrer-Brischgi, L., Oberhänsli, N., Peschak, A. M., & Preisig, M. (2024). understand and use interRAI IADL scales.

Academic professional association Spitex Pflege (2024).  AFG Spitex position paper, Medication management - the role of Spitex.

Durrer-Brischgi, L., Oberhänsli, N., Peschak, A. M., & Preisig, M. (2023). Practical recommendations for interRAI HC Switzerland BADL scales. Nursing 09/2023. Bern. 

Academic specialist association Spitex Pflege (2023).  Statement on the 2nd stage of the care initiative fact sheet.

Durrer-Brischgi, L., Peschak, A. M., Preisig, M., & Oberhänsli, N. (2022). Use scales correctly. Spitex Magazine 4/2022. Bern: Spitex Schweiz. 

Durrer-Brischgi, L., Peschak, A. M., Preisig, M., & Oberhänsli, N. (2022). Understanding and using the Cognitive Performance Scale 1 (CPS 1) and Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS 2) correctly. 

Azra Karabegovic, Manuela Birnea, Sonja Höhn, Rachel Jenkins & Florence Wilmes (2021) StoppSturz. Procedure for fall prevention for Spitex. New Cure 07/21bern: Hogrefe.

Hollenstein, N., Oberhänsli, N., & Bischofberger, I. (2020) Consultation on the amendment to the Federal Health Insurance Act (reimbursement of care materials).

VFP & various AFG. (2019) Opinion Pa.Iv. 19.401.

Kummli, J., Oberhänsli, N., & Bischofberger, I. (2018) Consultation on the amendment to the Federal Health Insurance Act (cost neutrality and determination of care requirements).

Oberhänsli, N. & Wyler, C. (2018) The working environment in the field of Spitex.  VFP/APSI UPDATE Fall issue 2018.

Stoll, H. & Sailer Schramm, M. (2018) The APN in Spitex - an added value? Spitex Magazine  

Fringer, A., Glaus Hartmann, M., Moser, C., Sailer Schramm, M., Wyler, C. (2017). The voice of Spitex in the VFP: AFG Spitex-Pflege.  20 years of VFP NURSING on the TOP.

Glaus, M. (2017) Spitex in conflict.Context, Radio SRF.

Academic specialist group Spitex. (2014)  The fridge oracleSpitex Magazine

Academic Association of Spitex Nursing (2013)  Recommendation for a job description for an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN nursing expert) for Spitex

Annual report

 2023

 2022

 2021

 2020

 2019

 2018

 2017

 2016