Australia
New ZealandStreamlined patient mental health assessments
What is the Initial Assessment and Referral Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST)?
The Initial Assessment and Referral Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST) is an evidence-based framework designed to support high-quality mental health care across Australia. Developed for use in primary care settings, the IAR-DST equips General Practitioners (GPs) and other health professionals with a structured, consistent approach to assessing individuals presenting with mental health concerns. Backed by Commonwealth funding, the tool supports clinicians to determine the most appropriate level of mental health care a person will need across five levels of care within the Australian stepped care model.
What’s new?
You can now complete an initial assessment for your patients’ mental health directly from your practice management system (PMS) using HealthLink SmartForms. Select ‘IAR Decision Support Tool for Mental Health’ from the Spotlight Services section of the HealthLink homepage.
The integrated IAR supports faster, streamlined workflows with pre-populated data, enabling more efficient, consistent, and confident referral decisions, all within your PMS.
Key benefits
Streamlined clinical decision-making at the point of care. Integration embeds the IAR-DST directly into the GP workflow.
Consistency in referrals. Applying an evidence-based framework leads to consistent high-quality referrals.
Better patient outcomes. Clear pathways and informed decision support help patients access the right level of care sooner, driving better engagement and fewer delays.
FAQs
GPs can complete a patient’s mental health assessment directly within their PMS using HealthLink SmartForms.
The form will pre-populate available patient and referrer data and is saved directly to the patient record within your supported PMS.
The IAR-DST is integrated into the following GP PMSs
- Best Practice
- Genie
- MedicalDirector Clinical
- MedicalDirector Helix
- Medtech Artia
- Zedmed
- Shexie
- Communicare
If your practice isn’t running a supported PMS, you can access the SmartForm via the MyHealthLink Portal.
[Note: PDF Guides are coming soon]
Yes, step-by-step guides are available for the following PMSs:
- Best Practice Lava SP3 and above
- Genie v11.03 and above
- MedicalDirector Clinical 4.3a and above
- MedicalDirector Helix
- Medtech Artia v2.2.375 and above
- Zedmed
- Shexie Platinum
- Communicare
Personal information is protected within your PMS.
- Personal patient information and the assessment outcome is retained securely within your PMS for future case review.
- Available patient data is pre-populated by the SmartForm.
The IAR-DST does not determine the urgency of the response required, however, when undertaking an assessment and seeking to complete an IAR, if the clinician judges that there are significant risks to the person and urgent intervention is required, the IAR assessment process should be abandoned and service protocols and procedures for urgent assessment and care pathways should be activated.
Here are quick guides that show you how to check what version you have in the following PMSs.
- Best Practice
- MedicalDirector
- Genie
- Medtech Evolution: Please call Medtech support on 1800 148 165
- Zedmed (please contact your software vendor)
- Shexie Platinum (please contact your software vendor)
- Communicare (please contact your software vendor)
SmartForms are available on Best Practice Lava SP3 and above, Communicare v22.4 and above, Genie v8.8 and above, MedicalDirector Clinical 3.16 and above, MedicalDirector Helix, Medtech Evolution 10.4.4 and above, Shexie Platinum 7.0 and above and Zedmed v35 and above which make up more than 90% of the general practice PMS market in Australia.
