Use of the ICF in WHO’s new

International Classification of Health Interventions

Nicola Fortune

What is ICHI?

• A classification of health interventions developed by the

World Health Organization (WHO) and the WHO Family of

International Classifications (WHO-FIC) Network

• Development began in 2007

• The ICHI Beta-2 2019 draft is now available for testing

• ICHI provides a common tool for reporting and analysing

information on health interventions

• ICHI is a member of the WHO Family of International Classifications

• ICHI covers:–Medical and surgical–Mental health–Primary care–Allied health–Assistance with functioning–Rehabilitation–Prevention and public health

ICHI is a tri-axial classification

The classification has three axes:

Target – the entity on which the Action is carried out

Action – the deed done by an actor to the Target

Means – the processes and methods by which the Action is carried out

Health intervention – ‘an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or a population whose purpose is to assess, improve, maintain, promote or modify health, functioning or health conditions’

TARGET

ACTION

MEANS

Walking (SJA)

Training (PH)

Other and unspecified means (ZZ)

Training in walking

SJA.PH.ZZ

ICHI’s tri-axial structure

ICHI online browserYou can explore ICHI by browsing intervention codes and axis categories (left side of screen) or using the search box

ICF categories as Targets in ICHI

Hierarchical structure of ICHI Targets

ICF Targets are hierarchically nested:

• ICF chapter-level Target codes have two letters followed by the numeral ‘1’

• ICF block-level Target codes have two letters followed by the numeral ‘2’

• ICF 3-digit Target codes have three letters

So interventions can be described at different levels of granularity

Example interventions with ICF Targets

BTB.AA.ZZ

MVD.PH.ZZ

Assessment of seeing functions

Training motor control

SM1.RB.ZZ

SSJ.PP.ZZ

Practical support with self care

Counselling for family relationships

UAL.TM.ZZ

UAG.RD.ZZ

Environment modification to buildings for

private use

Provision of products and technology for

education

e.g., Assisting and leading exercise for muscle functions

Extension codes

• Extension codes can be added on to ICHI intervention codes (‘stem codes’) to provide additional information

• ‘&’ (ampersand) is used to join extension codes on to stem codes

• Use of extension codes is optional

E.g., Prescription of manual wheelchair: UAE.TI.ZZ&XP245.00

Interventions involving assistive products

• Stem code with Environmental factors Target, plus

• ‘Assistive product’ extension code to record type of product

UAE.TI.ZZ Prescription of products and technology for

personal indoor and outdoor mobility and

transportation

XP245.00 Manual wheelchairs, other and unspecified

Interventions performed together (‘/ ’)

e.g., Training in eating and drinking

SMF.PH.ZZ/SMG.PH.ZZ

SMF.PH.ZZ Training in eating

SMG.PH.ZZ Training in drinking

e.g., Prescription and training in use of assistive device for communication

UAF.TI.ZZ+UAF.PH.ZZ

UAF.TI.ZZ Prescription of products and technology for communication

UAF.PH.ZZ Training in the use of products and technology for communication

Packages of interventions (‘+ ’)

Using ICHI, ICF and ICD together

e.g., coding interventions, level of functioning, functioning goals and diagnosis for a person with communication-related functioning limitations

Contributing via the ICHI online browser

Access the online browser without registering to browse the classification

or

Become a registered user and:

1. Contribute to the development of ICHI by commenting and proposing changes to the classification

2. Read and respond to comments and proposals made by other users

Get involved!

–Browse ICHI Beta-2 2019 online

–Add comments and suggestions via the ICHI online browser

–Participate in ICHI testing

https://mitel.dimi.uniud.it/ichi

For further information contact:

Megan CumerlatoICHI Managing Editor

megan.cumerlato@hotmail.com