Patient outcomes, patient experiences and process indicators associated with the routine use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in cancer care: a systematic review

Patients' experiences with the routine use of a clinical feedback system prior to consultations in ostomy care: a qualitative study

PURPOSE

Ostomy surgery involves significant bodily changes, and the adjustment process encompasses a broad spectrum of physical and psychosocial challenges. A clinical feedback system (CFS) has been developed to collect patient-reported outcomes as part of routine outpatient follow-up, reviewed by stoma care nurses, to better address patients' needs during their adjustment process. The intervention appears promising; however, empirical evidence supporting its benefits remains limited. Thus, we explored patients' experiences with the routine use of the CFS prior to consultations in ostomy care.

METHODS

A qualitative design involved 27 semi-structured individual interviews with patients using CFS as part of routine care. The data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive approach to thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The overarching theme CFS-a tool with potential and multiple mechanisms of action was developed with three themes: (1) Grasping the purpose can be challenging, (2) Preparatory learning-triggering reflection and self-awareness, and (3) Means of communication and potential for being understood. Engaging with the CFS had personal utility value with many dimensions, varying in strength and significance for each patient. Even though not everyone grasped the purpose of its use, it was part of a preparatory learning process for consultations and the adjustment process itself. It triggered reflection and self-awareness and served as a means of communication with potential for follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Although the CFS appears promising, future research should focus on identifying the most effective methods for educating patients on its use.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Cardiovascular Research and Care: PRO(M)s and CONS

ABSTRACT

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are vital tools in cardiovascular disease research and care, providing insights that complement traditional clinical outcomes such as mortality and morbidity. PROMs capture patient experiences with cardiovascular disease, such as quality of life, functional capacity, and emotional well-being, allowing clinicians to assess how interventions affect daily life. PROMs are integral to cardiovascular investigations and management, especially in chronic conditions and rehabilitation, where they inform on the impact of personalized care plans by tracking symptom progression and patient adherence. Selecting and applying to cardiovascular research and practice effective PROMs involves evaluating their validity, reliability, and sensitivity to change, with instruments such as the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and the Seattle Angina Questionnaire widely used for heart failure and coronary artery disease, respectively. Implementing PROMs in real-world practice requires addressing challenges related to workflow integration and patient adherence, emphasizing their value in patient-centered care. As digital health advances, remote PROM data collection through mobile applications and wearable devices will enhance access to and extent of PROMs, and artificial intelligence-driven analytical tools will provide real-time, automated and plausible more poignant insights for personalized treatment. Future efforts should focus on culturally adapting PROMs for diverse populations to ensure global applicability. PROMs should also be established as essential components of innovative research and responsive, patient-centered cardiovascular care.

Using Outcome Information During Consultation Yields Better Shared Decision Making, Better Patient Experiences, and More Positive Expectations: A Comparative Effectiveness Study

OBJECTIVES

Value-based healthcare has recently gained recognition. Part of this framework uses the outcome information from daily care. This study evaluated the effects of patients' perceived use of outcome information on shared decision making, patient experiences with healthcare, treatment credibility, and outcome expectations.

METHODS

Data were collected from 25 hand surgery and therapy clinics. We created 2 groups based on whether patients indicated that outcome information was used (Outcome Information group) or not (control group) during the clinician consultation. Patients' experiences with healthcare were assessed after the first consultation using a digitally distributed patient-reported experience measure and a questionnaire to measure treatment credibility and expectations. Confounders were controlled for using propensity score matching in a 3:1 ratio. We calculated Cliff's delta as an effect size measure (0.11-0.27 small, 0.28-0.42 medium, and >0.43 large).

RESULTS

After propensity score matching, we included 636 patients in the Outcome Information group and 212 in the control groups, respectively. The Outcome Information group experienced more shared decision making (Cliff's delta 0.33 [0.24-0.40], P < .001) and scored better on all patient-reported experience measure items. Patients in the Outcome Information group had more positive expectations of the treatment outcome (Cliff's delta: 0.21 [0.12-0.29], P < .001) and found their treatment more credible (Cliff's delta: 0.26 [0.18-0.34], P < .001) than those in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The perceived use of outcome information by patients leads to more shared decision making, better experiences with healthcare, and more positive outcome expectations and treatment credibility. Therefore, we recommend the use of outcome information in daily care to fulfill the promise of value-based healthcare.

Evaluation of the psychometric properties of patient-reported outcome measures of health-related quality of life across the European cancer continuum: a systematic review protocol using COSMIN methodology

INTRODUCTION

Over the past decades, there has been increasing recognition that assessing patients with cancer's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is pivotal to delivering optimal patient-centred healthcare. However, with the increasing number of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) available, it becomes more and more challenging to identify the most appropriate PROM to capture HRQoL. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to (1) identify all available PROMs assessing HRQoL across the European cancer continuum and (2) critically appraise, compare and summarise the psychometric properties of the identified PROMs.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Bibliographic databases MEDLINE and PubMed Central (through PubMed) and EMBASE (through Scopus) will be comprehensively searched from database inception until March 2024. Studies reporting on the measurement properties of PROMs assessing HRQoL throughout the European cancer continuum will be included. The evaluation of the psychometric properties, data extraction and data synthesis will be conducted according to the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) methodology. Two reviewers will independently assess the methodological quality using the COSMIN risk of bias checklist and the COSMIN criteria for good measurement properties. Subsequently, findings will be qualitatively summarised. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) guidelines will be used to grade and summarise the quality of the evidence.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical clearance for this research is not required, as the systematic review will only use information from previously published research. The results of this review will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and will be used to provide a set of evidence-based recommendations for a European project (EUonQOL), which aims at developing a new PROM (EUonQOL toolkit) to assess HRQoL across the European cancer continuum. Moreover, findings will be disseminated to a clinical audience and policymakers through conferences, supporting researchers and clinicians in choosing the best measure to evaluate HRQoL in patients with cancer and survivors in Europe.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42023418616.

Survivor-driven development of a PROM for use in routine colorectal cancer care

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Despite the availability of patient reported outcome (PRO) measures (PROMs) for assessing survivorship care needs, their successful implementation remains limited. This study aimed to improve the likelihood of implementation success by actively engaging end-users in developing a PROM designed to address implementation barriers.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Selected barriers for implementation were: (1) PROMs do not adequately address relevant issues, (2) PROMs can inhibit patient-clinician interaction, and (3) PROMs are not suitable for all patients. Management of these barriers were discussed at two 1-day workshops at Vejle Hospital with in-person attendance by colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors and informal caregivers (ICs). Relevant issues of CRC survivorship care (barrier 1) were defined based on data from four distinct sources. Solutions to overcoming barriers 2 and 3 were discussed at the workshops. Workshop data were guided by the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven (QUAGOL) guide.

RESULTS

The four distinct sources provided data from 4,545 CRC survivors. Thirteen individuals attended the in-person workshops. The following constructs were identified as relevant (barrier 1): self-rated well-being relative to pre-diagnosis, late effects encompassing both psychological and physical aspects, the role of caregivers, identity considerations, support systems, economic impacts, rehabilitation needs, and information provision. Specific element (e.g., keywords, prioritisation and agenda-setting) were incorporated to facilitate patient-clinician interactions (barrier 2). All constructs were considered relevant across all stages of CRC survivorship (barrier 3). The final PROM comprised 34 items.

INTERPRETATION

This dialogue-tool is designed to address implementation barriers by providing direct feedback on relevant late effects and supportive care needs from CRC survivors to clinicians.

Patients' acceptability of a patient-reported outcome measure in cardiac rehabilitation (the PRO-Heart-DK)-a mixed methods study using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability

BACKGROUND

The integration of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROM) in cardiac rehabilitation practice has potential to enhance patient involvement and management. User acceptance is crucial for successful implementation of healthcare interventions, but limited literature addresses PROM acceptability among cardiovascular patients. This study explored the acceptability of a new national PROM in cardiac rehabilitation clinical practice for patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) in Denmark.

METHODS

Patients who responded to the PROM were invited to complete two brief surveys evaluating perceived relevance, usefulness, and satisfaction. A purposefully selected subsample participated in semi structured interviews to gather in-depth experiences. A parallel convergent mixed-methods design was used with the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability applied to structure and interpret findings.

RESULTS

105 and 119 patients respectively responded to the two evaluation surveys (response-rates 56.5% and 53.4% respectively) and 25 patients were interviewed. The study showed a strong willingness to engage with PROMs, indicating a high overall acceptability. Most patients perceived the PROM helpful for preparation and enhancing communication during consultations. A minority of patients reported emotional reactions and experienced issues with questionnaire comprehensiveness, structure, and relevance.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate that most IHD patients find PROM relevant and useful in cardiac rehabilitation. To enhance acceptability and, hence, future implementation, improvements are needed in clinical settings by providing adequate patient information, effectively using PRO results, and addressing patients' emotional reactions. Additionally, PROM development should focus on ensuring the questionnaire's relevance, comprehensiveness, and structure.

Overcoming Barriers to Make Patient-Reported Outcome Collection the Standard of Care in Oncology

This Viewpoint outlines the importance of and known barriers to making patient-reported outcome (PRO) collection the standard of care in oncology.

Real-World Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Implementation: Challenges and Successes of a Pan-Canadian Initiative to Improve the Future of Patient-Centered Cancer Care

PURPOSE

Implementation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in routine care continues to be limited, despite their demonstrated efficacy and substantial investments. We report on the lessons learned and the challenges of the concerted implementation of the same PROMs across teams in nine provinces/territories (jurisdictions) in Canada, as well as the solutions to move implementation forward despite cost containments and the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Each team from nine jurisdictions submitted a final report describing their PROM implementation project. Reports were analyzed for themes on lessons learned, challenges, and solutions. Themes were compared for similarities and differences. The Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE) guidelines were used.

RESULTS

Six key lessons learned were identified from eight challenges. To address these challenges, 27 solutions were used. The six lessons learned were as follows: Harness the power of change management, ensure consistent stakeholder engagement at all levels for success, establish buy-in as soon as possible, plan to maintain buy-in through changing circumstances, identify ways to make technology the solution, and optimal implementation includes a sustainability plan. Examples of solutions included the following: develop a multipronged, multilevel communication plan; include change management experts on the team; identify champions; restructure and reprioritize as needed; leverage existing technology; and leave a permanent trace of the project.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first analysis to synthesize lessons learned from real-world PROM implementation across geographically diverse jurisdictions. We identified generalizable solutions that other health care managers and policymakers can use to accelerate PROM implementation, despite pervasive implementation barriers. Future studies can integrate these solutions with methods and tools from implementation science (eg, theoretical frameworks, implementation strategies) for more successful spread and scale of PROMs.

Real-World Evaluation of an EHR-Enabled Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test

Purpose

The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Assessment Test (CAT) measures COPD's impact on well-being and daily activities and is a recommended assessment by the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). Our research objective was to describe a real-world CAT implementation, including the association of CAT scores with subsequent treatment and clinical outcomes.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective, observational, comparative cohort study was conducted among adults with COPD who received care from M Health Fairview, a US healthcare delivery system. Eligible patients had an initial electronic health record (EHR) enabled CAT administration (index) between 8/2017 and 12/2021. Patients were grouped by score (<10 [low impact]; 11-20 [moderate]; and 21-40 [high]). Demographics, comorbidities, provider specialty, and exacerbation history were derived from EHR data in the 12 months preceding index.

Results

Of 11,194 eligible individuals, 821 (7.3%) were administered CAT (cases). Compared to individuals with no documented CAT scores (comparators), cases were older (66.7 vs 63.9 years; p < 0.05) and had higher rates of comorbidities (93.9% vs 79.2%, p < 0.05) and exacerbations (0.31 vs 0.14 PPPY). A total of 61.5% of pulmonologists and 11.5% of primary care providers (PCPs) administered the CAT at least once. Repeated use was more common among pulmonologists (55.7%) than PCPs (7.0%). Medication intensification was most common (28.1%) among individuals with high CAT scores, followed by moderate (21.6%), and low (10.0%). Post-index exacerbations were experienced by 24.2%, 17.4%, and 7.7% of patients with high, moderate, and low CAT scores.

Conclusion

In a real-world practice setting, few patients with COPD received a CAT, although pulmonologists demonstrated repeated use. Higher CAT scores were associated with COPD medication regimen intensification and exacerbations. Further investigation on how to incorporate the CAT into routine care and optimize its impact on medical decision making and evaluation is warranted.

Improving the Implementation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measure in Clinical Practice: Tackling Current Challenges With Innovative Digital Communication Technologies

Implementation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in clinical practice is challenging. We believe effective communication is key to realizing the clinical benefits of PROMs. Communication processes for PROMs in clinical practice typically involve (1) health care professionals (HCPs) inviting patients to complete PROMs, (2) patients completing PROMs, (3) HCPs and patients interpreting the resulting patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and (4) HCPs and patients using PROs for health management. Yet, communication around PROMs remains underexplored. Importantly, patients differ in their skills, knowledge, preferences, and motivations for completing PROMs, as well as in their ability and willingness to interpret and apply PROs in managing their health. Despite this, current communication practices often fail to account for these differences. This paper highlights the importance of personalized communication to make PROMs accessible to diverse populations. Personalizing communication manually is highly labor-intensive, but several digital technologies can offer a feasible solution to accommodate various patients. Despite their potential, these technologies have not yet been applied to PROMs. We explore how existing principles and tools, such as automatic data-to-text generation (including multimodal outputs like text combined with data visualizations) and conversational agents, can enable personalized communication of PROMs in practice.

A patient reported outcome measure for rectal cancer patients eligible for organ preservation: Development and validation of a Watch-and-Wait module for the Assessment of Burden of disease in ColoRectal Cancer (ABCRC) tool

AIM

The Assessment of Burden of ColoRectal Cancer (ABCRC)-tool is an integrated tool, developed in conjunction with colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, that measures the experienced burden of disease and lifestyle parameters and visualizes the results. To provide tailored follow-up care for watch-and-wait (WW) patients, in line with their specific needs and preferences, a WW module for the ABCRC-tool was developed. In this paper we describe the development and validation process of the WW module.

METHODS

This study followed a multistep approach. First, a three-round Delphi survey was conducted with both patients and healthcare professionals (HP). Participants were asked to score common RC outcomes that emerged from qualitative interviews with patients and a targeted literature review. Based on included items, appropriate questions were formulated. Reliability was tested by assessing test-retest reliability, defined by Intra Class Correlation. Construct validity was evaluated by hypothesis testing.

RESULTS

A total of 128 participants (75 patients and 53 HP) from four countries (UK, Brazil, Portugal and Netherlands) participated in the Delphi survey which included 41 items. After the consensus meeting seven outcomes and appropriate questions (including anxiety, fear of recurrence, fear of surgery, fear of stoma, fecal incontinence, urgency and happiness) were included in the WW module. Validity and reliability testing was completed by 50 Dutch WW patients. The ABCRC-WW module demonstrated sound construct validity and reliability.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates good psychometric properties of the ABCRC-WW tool. This tool has the potential to facilitate patient-clinician communication, enhance patients' understanding of their condition, and enable individualized care through direct feedback.

"I wanna know what to expect" - Care needs regarding sexual and reproductive health after cancer in adolescence and young adulthood (AYA) and recommendations for providers

PURPOSE

To assess care needs related to sexual and reproductive health of patients and survivors diagnosed with cancer during adolescence and young adulthood (AYA).

METHODS

Participants (N = 190) were predominantly female (87.4%) and diagnosed with cancer between age 12-39 years. Common diagnoses included breast cancer (37.1%) or leukemia/lymphoma (27.2%). Cancer patients/survivors completed an online survey, which assessed care needs regarding sexual health and fertility/reproductive health. They provided written open answers, which were qualitatively analyzed.

RESULTS

Care needs related to sexual health varied and included a need for more information about possible effects on sexual health, which will enable patients/survivors to better anticipate (physical and mental) side effects of cancer on sexual health. AYA patients/survivors need support from providers who normalize the topic of sex, who offer guidance in coping with numerous questions, who provide resources and practical tips and tricks, and who refer to specialists if needed. Participants would like providers to initiate conversations and communicate openly and honestly without taboo, bias, or shame. Care needs regarding reproductive health included needing support in navigating reproduction after cancer, while unmet information needs were central. This included needing information about fertility status and assessment options, reproduction/contraceptives, the safety of pregnancies, and the (im)possibility of alternatives to biological parenthood.

CONCLUSION

Communication is key in informing and supporting AYA cancer patients and survivors regarding their sexual and reproductive health. Providers should assess individual patients'/survivors' needs and tailor information that is tangible accordingly. Additional recommendations for healthcare providers are presented.

First-time use of electronic patient-reported outcome measures in a cluster randomized trial: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Although there is clear evidence supporting the beneficial effects of regularly assessing patient-reported outcomes (PROs), the comprehensive integration of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) into routine cancer care remains limited. This study aimed to explore the facilitators and barriers encountered by principal investigators (PIs) (oncologists) and study nurses during the implementation of the Eir ePROM within a cluster randomized trial (c-RCT) in cancer outpatient clinics. Additionally, we sought to examine the influence of Eir on the working routines of the participants.

METHODS

Individual semi-structured interviews and a focus group were conducted with nine oncologists and study nurses involved in the implementation of the ePROM tool Eir. Interviews elucidated their experiences of barriers and facilitators when implementing Eir through a cluster randomized trial. Data were analysed according to Framework Analysis, using both an inductive and deductive approach. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used in the deductive stages of analysis.

RESULTS

Three overarching themes were identified from the data: (1) Willingness to invest; accepting that new eras come with a cost, (2) Management anchoring; changes start at the top, and (3) Creation of a cohesive framework; fostering collective comprehension. We found a notable disparity between oncologists and nurses in their willingness to invest time and effort in implementing the tool. While participants recognized the need to transform patient consultation methods to benefit from digital symptom management, opinions varied on whether the potential benefits justified the associated cost. Furthermore, the degree of management anchoring at various levels significantly impacted the implementation process. At the local level, it was seen as either a facilitator or a barrier, influencing the outcome of the implementation. Additionally, establishing a cohesive framework was crucial, as this fostered a collective understanding among those involved in the implementation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study underscores the importance of considering the diverse perspectives of health care professionals and fostering interprofessional collaboration for the successful implementation of ePROMs in healthcare settings. Future research should explore strategies to bridge professional disparities and promote a shared understanding of the value provided by ePROMs.

Pharmacist-facilitated Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) monitoring: developing an EHR SmartForm© to monitor side effects of oral oncolytics during routine telehealth encounters

PURPOSE

Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used in oncology care, but pharmacists providing direct patient care have been overlooked. We engaged pharmacists and adults receiving oral oncolytics (chemotherapy medication taken by mouth) to develop a SmartForm© in the electronic health record (EHR) for PROM monitoring. Pharmacists verbally ask the patient side effect questions during routine telehealth encounters and enter responses in real time.

METHODS

Our development process was guided by the Knowledge to Action Framework. In phase 1 (Knowledge Inquiry), we prioritized side effects to assess in the EHR SmartForm© via interviews with patients and a Delphi panel with pharmacists. Adults receiving oral oncolytics for breast (n = 12), thoracic (n = 12), or hematological (n = 12) cancer were interviewed, with purposeful sampling for adults who were aged 65 + years or Black. Interviews were coded with content analysis. We conducted three Delphi rounds, with 11/19, 13/19, and 19/19 pharmacists, respectively. In phase 2 (Knowledge Synthesis), PROM items were selected and the EHR SmartForm© programmed. In phase 3 (Knowledge Tailoring), we conducted usability testing with pharmacists.

RESULTS

Pharmacists and patients were consistent in prioritizing side effects of oral oncolytics and 10 were retained. Patients advocated asking whether they can do their usual activities, while pharmacists added medication adherence. Usability testing yielded suggestions to simplify the SmartForm©.

CONCLUSION

By presenting screenshots of our SmartForm©, our findings are useful to other healthcare systems looking for a PROM solution integrated in the EHR, with a reasonable pharmacist/clinician workload, and no requirement for patients to have internet access/comfort.

Using voice recognition and machine learning techniques for detecting patient-reported outcomes from conversational voice in palliative care patients

AIM

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used in palliative care to evaluate patients' symptoms and conditions. Healthcare providers often collect PROMs through conversations. However, the manual entry of these data into electronic medical records can be burdensome for healthcare providers. Voice recognition technology has been explored as a potential solution for alleviating this burden. However, research on voice recognition technology for palliative care is lacking. This study aimed to verify the use of voice recognition and machine learning to automatically evaluate PROMs using clinical conversation voice data.

METHODS

We recruited 100 home-based palliative care patients from February to May 2023, conducted interviews using the Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (IPOS), and transcribed their voice data using an existing voice recognition tool. We calculated the recognition rate and developed a machine learning model for symptom detection. Model performance was primarily evaluated using the F1 score, harmonic mean of the model's positive predictive value, and recall.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 80.6 years (SD, 10.8 years), and 34.0% were men. Thirteen patients had cancer, and 87 did not. The patient voice recognition rate of 55.6% (SD, 12.1%) was significantly lower than the overall recognition rate of 76.1% (SD, 6.4%). The F1 scores for the five total symptoms ranged from 0.31 to 0.46.

CONCLUSION

Although further improvements are necessary to enhance our model's performance, this study provides valuable insights into voice recognition and machine learning in clinical settings. We expect our findings will reduce the burden of recording PROMs on healthcare providers, increasing the wider use of PROMs.

Patients' and Clinicians' Experiences Using a Real-Time Remote Monitoring System for Chemotherapy Symptom Management (ASyMS): Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

Patients receiving chemotherapy require ongoing symptom monitoring and management to optimize their outcomes. In recent years, digital remote monitoring interventions have emerged to provide enhanced cancer care delivery experiences to patients and clinicians. However, patient and clinician experiential evaluations of these technologies are rare. Therefore, we explored user experiences and perceptions of one such intervention-Advanced Symptom Management System (ASyMS)-after its scaled deployment in the context of the Electronic Symptom Management System Remote Technology (eSMART) trial. The eSMART trial was a large, multicenter randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of ASyMS in 12 clinical sites in 5 European countries.

OBJECTIVE

In this qualitative study, both patients' and clinicians' experiences of using ASyMS for up to 6 cycles of chemotherapy were explored to understand the impact of ASyMS on patients' experiences, clinical practice, and supportive care delivery.

METHODS

For this analysis, individual, semistructured, one-to-one interviews with 29 patients with breast, colorectal, and hematological cancers and 18 clinicians from Austria, Greece, Ireland, Norway, and the United Kingdom were conducted. Interviews focused on patients' and clinicians' experiences of using ASyMS, care organization and changes in practice following the introduction of ASyMS, perceived changes in care associated with the use of ASyMS, and its potential for future integration into routine chemotherapy care pathways.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis identified several themes that describe patients' and clinicians' experiences using ASyMS. One central orienting theme-ASyMS as a facilitator of change-was supported by 5 key themes associated with human and technology monitoring: reassurance, enhanced communications and relationships, knowing what is "normal" and what is to be expected, enhancing cancer care experiences, and informing future cancer care.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to evaluate both patients' and clinicians' experiences of using a digital health intervention to remotely monitor chemotherapy symptoms across 5 countries. Experiences with ASyMS were positive from both patients' and clinicians' perspectives, although some improvements to support the wider-scale rollout and sustained implementation were identified. Overall, this study demonstrates that real-time remote monitoring systems can help patients feel more reassured during their chemotherapy treatments and can help clinicians provide the right care, at the right time, and in the right place.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02356081; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02356081.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015016.

Truth and dare: patients dare to tell the truth when using PROMs in clinical practice

PURPOSE

As patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used in clinical practice for screening, monitoring, and management, the potential for response bias has been raised (e.g., over-reporting problems for attention, under-reporting to avoid treatment changes/discontinuation). We investigated whether patients systematically bias their responses when they know clinicians will review their PROM results.

METHODS

We conducted secondary analyses of three experimental studies evaluating PROMs in adult and pediatric care. Prior to PROM completion, intervention group patients were informed that the results would be shown to their clinicians ("feedback" arm), whereas control group patients were told that their clinicians would not see their responses ("no feedback" arm). Independent sample t-tests compared the "feedback" and "no feedback" arms' PROM scores at baseline. Effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Cohen's d statistics with Hedges' g correction, and effect sizes > 0.50 were considered clinically relevant.

RESULTS

Across the 29 domains assessed in the three studies, no between-arm differences reached an effect size of ± 0.50. Only 3/29 effect sizes exceeded ± 0.30. The confidence intervals for 14 domains included ± 0.50, with 4 favoring the "no feedback" arm and 10 favoring the "feedback" arm. Two domains reached statistical significance, one favoring the "no feedback" arm and one favoring the "feedback" arm.

CONCLUSION

This study does not support the hypothesis that patients systematically bias their PROM responses if they know that clinicians will see their results. These findings support using PROMs in clinical practice as a valid mechanism to promote patient-centered care.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Routine Hematology Cancer Care: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Hematological cancers have devastating effects on patients' physical, emotional, and psychosocial health. There is growing evidence to support the use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) through validated tools. Although PROMs are widely adopted in oncology, uptake in hematology remains limited in routine clinical care.

OBJECTIVE

This review seeks to explore the utility of PROMs in routine hematology clinical practice and to understand the extent and type of evidence in relation to benefits of PROMs to patients.

METHODS

The review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis scoping review model for organizing information.

RESULTS

Ten thousand and seventy-one articles were identified, 110 full texts were reviewed, and 14 articles met the final inclusion criteria. More than 20 individual outcome measures were identified that fell into the following categories: accessibility and usability, self-efficacy, shared decision-making, and implementation.

CONCLUSIONS

Studies focused primarily on the choice of PROM, acceptability and usability, motivation for use, patient and healthcare professionals' experience of using PROMs, the stated value of PROMs, and implementation advice. However, there are limited published studies supporting how PROMs can be adopted into routine care for people with hematological cancer.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

There are various validated PROMs but limited research on how to meaningfully implement them to improve clinical and patient outcomes in the routine care of hematology patients.

Patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) programs for monitoring symptoms among patients treated with immunotherapy: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Monitoring toxicities among patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is relatively recent. This scoping review aims to guide decision making in the development of PROMs programs for patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

METHODS

Four electronic databases were searched from inception to January 2024. Data on PROM programs for patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (eg, PROMs used, frequency) were extracted. Two authors with established interrater reliability screened titles, abstracts, and full texts. A narrative synthesis identified patterns in the data.

RESULTS

A total of 22 articles described 16 unique multicomponent, electronic PROM programs for patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, mainly developed for remote monitoring of toxicities between appointments. Patients typically completed 18-26 items from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) or Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) weekly, with high adherence and satisfaction. Commonly monitored symptoms were diarrhea, fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, nausea, decreased appetite, rash, joint pain, pain, and mood. Other features of PROMs programs included clinician alerts, with some programs only flagging symptoms that had an impact on treatment. Some programs also or only sent alerts to patients to contact their clinicians and gave access to symptom management information. In terms of efficacy, the only consistent finding was an increase in quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this scoping review provide some indication as to which components of a PROM program are promising. However, as the evidence base for using PROMs among patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors is growing, many questions remain, including which symptoms to monitor, using which PROM, and at what frequency. More trials are needed to answer these questions and to determine how best to implement PROMs among patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor in clinical practice.

Using a modified Delphi procedure to select a PRO-CTCAE-based subset for patient-reported symptomatic toxicity monitoring in rectal cancer patients

PURPOSE

Standardized patient-reported outcomes (PRO) monitoring during and after rectal cancer treatment provides insight into treatment-related toxicities patients experience and improves health-related quality-of-life as well as overall survival. We aimed to select a subset of the PRO version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) for standardized monitoring of treatment-related symptomatic toxicities in rectal cancer.

METHODS

We used a mixed methods approach including a literature review, and semi-structured interviews with health care providers (HCPs) involved in rectal cancer care and rectal cancer patients. Results from literature and interviews were summarized and used in a modified Delphi procedure to select a PRO-CTCAE subset specific for rectal cancer.

RESULTS

Twenty-six PRO-CTCAE symptomatic toxicities were identified from literature. Fifteen HCPs from multiple disciplines (medical, radiation and surgical oncology), and a heterogeneous group of fifteen rectal cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and/or surgery, participated in semi-structured interviews. Ten HCPs (67%) and nine patients (90%) participated in the first Delphi round. The final selected PRO-CTCAE core-subset contained 16 symptomatic toxicities: 'diarrhea', 'fecal incontinence', 'constipation','bloating of the abdomen', 'pain in the abdomen', 'vomiting', 'decreased libido', 'pain during vaginal sex', 'ability to achieve and maintain erection', 'fatigue', 'anxiety', 'feeling that nothing could cheer you up', 'urinary incontinence', 'painful urination', 'general pain', and 'hand-foot syndrome'.

CONCLUSION

Based on a comprehensive mixed methods study, a PRO-CTCAE subset for standardized treatment-related symptomatic toxicity monitoring in rectal cancer was identified. Assessment of the effectiveness and compliance of symptomatic toxicity monitoring using this subset is recommended.

Using journey maps to understand patientreported outcome measures in the cancer journey

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative study is to demonstrate the use of patient-reported outcome measure-based journey maps in facilitating clinicians' ability to communicate with patients about their well-being at each phase of their cancer journey.

Methods

Individual semi-structured online and phone interviews were conducted with older adults in British Columbia, Canada. Participants (n = 6) were asked to describe their cancer experiences associated with their well-being score using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System revised questionnaire throughout their cancer journey (i.e., pre-diagnosis, diagnosis, treatment, to post-treatment).

Results

Six older adults who received cancer treatment were interviewed. Six journey maps were developed with evidence of fluctuation in participants' level of well-being through their cancer journeys.

Conclusion

Journey maps can facilitate patient-clinician communication for tailoring interventions and draw clinicians' attention to additional prompts to better understand patients' well-being throughout the cancer journey.

Experiences of families post treatment for childhood brain tumours during medical clinic consultations regarding health-related quality of life, unmet needs and communication barriers: A qualitative exploration

BACKGROUND

Many studies highlight poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children treated for brain tumours and their parents. However, little is known about the extent to which their informational, healthcare and communication needs regarding HRQoL are met during medical outpatient consultations.

AIM

To explore the experiences of families regarding communication with physicians about HRQoL issues during consultations after treatment for childhood brain tumours.

METHODS

Interviews were conducted with 18 families of children and adolescents aged 8-17 years after completion of brain tumour treatment. Participants had completed treatment within the last 5 years and were receiving regular outpatient follow-up care. Thematic analysis was undertaken using the Framework Method.

RESULTS

Five main themes were identified: (i) unmet emotional and mental health needs; (ii) double protection; (iii) unmet information needs; (iv) communication barriers within consultations; and (v) finding a new normal.

CONCLUSION

There was a need to improve communication between clinicians and these families, improve information provision, and overcome barriers to conversing with children within these outpatient consultations. Children and their parents should be supported to voice their current needs and concerns regarding their HRQoL. These findings will inform further development of the UK version of the 'KLIK' patient- and parent-reported outcome (PROM) portal.

Value-based care as a solution to resolve the open debate on public healthcare outsourcing in Europe: What do the available data say?

Controversy surrounds the current debate regarding the effects of outsourcing health services, as recent studies claim that increased outsourcing leads to reduced costs at the expense of worse patient outcomes. The goal of the value-based model is to enable healthcare systems to create more value for patients, and evidence points to improvements in public health outcomes, patient experience, and health expenditure in systems incorporating components of value-based healthcare. Some emerging evidence indicates promising results for outsourced hospitals which follow a value-based model of healthcare delivery. Although additional future studies are still needed to confirm these benefits, value-based healthcare merits discussion as a new perspective on the public versus private management debate. In fact, we argue that outsourcing to value-based health providers could represent a valid alternative for public health management, encouraging greater competition within the healthcare sector while ensuring quality of care for both public and private sectors.

Self-perceived cognitive impairment in the first year after breast cancer and the identification of at-risk patients

PURPOSE

This study investigated self-reported clinically relevant cognitive impairment of breast cancer patients in routine clinical care and assessed factors associated with new-onset clinically relevant cognitive impairment.

METHODS

Cognitive functioning was assessed before start of any treatment (T0) and at 6 (T6) and 12 (T12) months after diagnosis. Cognitive functioning (CF) was measured on a scale of 0-100 with the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, and the EORTC pre-defined threshold for clinical importance. Multivariable logistic regression analyses was used to identify factors associated with new-onset clinically relevant cognitive impairment at T6 ((CF > 75 at T0 and CF < 75 at T6 and T12) or (CF > 75 at T0 and T6 and <75 at T12)).

RESULTS

Pre-treatment, 21% of patients reported clinically relevant cognitive impairment. At T12, percentage was 32%; 20% of patients reported new-onset clinically relevant cognitive impairment at T6 and/or T12. New-onset clinically relevant cognitive impairment was associated with chemo(immuno)therapy and impairment in role and emotional functioning. Younger patients and patients receiving chemo(immuno)therapy were more likely to report new-onset clinically relevant cognitive impairment post treatment.

CONCLUSION

One in five breast cancer patients reported clinically relevant cognitive problems before start of treatment. This percentage further increased within the first year, particularly among patients treated with chemo(immuno)therapy. One in five patients reported new-onset clinically relevant cognitive impairment. Ultimately, these patients may benefit from systematic monitoring and potential referral to interventions.

Predictors of Concordance between Patient-Reported and Provider-Documented Symptoms in the Context of Cancer and Multimorbidity

BACKGROUND

 The integration of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) into clinical care, particularly in the context of cancer and multimorbidity, is crucial. While PROs have the potential to enhance patient-centered care and improve health outcomes through improved symptom assessment, they are not always adequately documented by the health care team.

OBJECTIVES

 This study aimed to explore the concordance between patient-reported symptom occurrence and symptoms documented in electronic health records (EHRs) in people undergoing treatment for cancer in the context of multimorbidity.

METHODS

 We analyzed concordance between patient-reported symptom occurrence of 13 symptoms from the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and provider-documented symptoms extracted using NimbleMiner, a machine learning tool, from EHRs for 99 patients with various cancer diagnoses. Logistic regression guided with the Akaike Information Criterion was used to identify significant predictors of symptom concordance.

RESULTS

 Our findings revealed discrepancies in patient and provider reports, with itching showing the highest concordance (66%) and swelling showing the lowest concordance (40%). There was no statistically significant association between multimorbidity and high concordance, while lower concordance was observed for women, patients with advanced cancer stages, individuals with lower education levels, those who had partners, and patients undergoing highly emetogenic chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

 These results highlight the challenges in achieving accurate and complete symptom documentation in EHRs and the necessity for targeted interventions to improve the precision of clinical documentation. By addressing these gaps, health care providers can better understand and manage patient symptoms, ultimately contributing to more personalized and effective cancer care.

From patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to family-reported outcomes (FROs): Acceptability and perceived usefulness of routine screening in cancer care

OBJECTIVES

To explore the acceptability of screening for family-reported outcomes (FROs) among cancer caregivers (unpaid family members or friends who provide support to patients with cancer) and identify from their perspective the key components of a FRO screening program.

METHODS

Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 23 adult caregivers of people with cancer between 2020 and 2021. Interview questions focused on acceptability of FRO screening, types of FROs, timing/frequency of screening, preferred resources following screening, and communication of FROs to patients and clinicians. Participants were recruited in Canada. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis and constant comparison.

RESULTS

Almost all caregivers welcomed FRO screening in usual care and viewed it as an avenue toward obtaining more resources. Other potential benefits of FRO screening included increased self-reflection and role acknowledgment. Caregivers prioritized screening for emotional symptoms, and most preferred that the results be shared with the patient's treating team rather than their primary care provider. Caregivers did not want results to be shared with patients, instead favoring learning how best to discuss results with patients. Many spoke of a "one stop shop" containing all relevant information on caring for the patient (first) and for themselves (second). Opinions regarding timing and frequency of FRO screening differed. Periodic administration of FRO measures, with each one not exceeding 20 minutes, was deemed appropriate.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

This study extends the concept of patient-reported outcome measures to caregivers, and findings can be used to guide the development of FRO screening programs.

[Patient-reported outcomes-the role of the patient's subjective perspective for research and clinical care]

Because only patients can adequately assess symptoms, disability, and quality of life, concordance between a patient's and physician's assessment is often low. Accordingly, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly used in research and routine clinical care. In daily practice, PROs are not only applied to measure the patient's perceived outcome of medical treatments, but also to assess their health status before intervention starts. Typically, several patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), which are reliable and valid, are available for the assessment of the most important PROMs. In daily clinical practice, the integration of PROs can be useful for clinical assessment and treatment planning or for quality management. Currently, the most promising application is routine patient monitoring using digital PROMs (ePROMs). Systematic reviews have revealed that the routine use of PROMs in daily clinical care is associated with, among others, improved physician-patient communication, higher patient satisfaction, reduced symptom burden, higher quality of life, and improved survival. This effect is especially strong if health care professionals continuously receive the results of the PRO monitoring. Patients are usually inclined to disclose their health status, and the positive effects of routine patient monitoring are widely recognized. However, several barriers to using PROs and PROMs still exist.

Impact of a Multidisciplinary Supportive Care Model Using Distress Screening at an Asian Ambulatory Cancer Center: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

The Accessible Cancer Care to Enable Support for Cancer Survivors (ACCESS) program adopts a multidisciplinary supportive care model with routine distress screening to triage newly diagnosed cancer survivors for additional support on the basis of distress levels. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of ACCESS over 1 year.

METHODS

We performed cluster random assignment at the oncologist level in a 1:1 ratio to receive ACCESS or usual care. Participants 21 years and older, newly diagnosed with breast or gynecologic cancer, and receiving care at National Cancer Centre Singapore were included. Outcomes assessed every 3 months for 1 year included quality of life (QoL) (primary), functioning, physical and psychological symptom burden, and activity levels. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects models.

RESULTS

Participants from 16 clusters (control = 90, intervention = 83) were analyzed. The ACCESS program did not significantly improve QoL (primary outcome). However, compared with usual care recipients, ACCESS recipients reported higher physical functioning (P = .017), role functioning (P = .001), and activity levels (P < .001) at 9 months and lower psychological distress (P = .025) at 12 months. ACCESS recipients screened with high distress had poorer QoL, lower role and social functioning, and higher physical symptom distress at 3 months but had comparable scores with ACCESS recipients without high distress after 12 months.

CONCLUSION

Compared with usual care, participation in the ACCESS program did not yield QoL improvement but showed earlier functioning recovery related to activities of daily living and reduced psychological distress. Routine distress screening is a promising mechanism to identify survivors with poorer health for more intensive supportive care.

What are the perspectives of patients with hand and wrist conditions, chronic pain, and patients recovering from stroke on the use of patient and outcome information in everyday care? A Mixed-Methods study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the patients' perspectives on the use of patient- and outcome information tools in everyday care and to investigate which characteristics affect general understanding and perceived value of patient- and outcome information.

METHODS

This mixed-methods study included surveys and interviews on understanding, experience, decision-support, and perceived value in patients with hand and wrist conditions and chronic pain. We synthesized our quantitative and qualitative findings using a triangulation protocol and identified factors independently associated with general understanding and perceived value of patient- and outcome information using hierarchical logistic regression.

RESULTS

We included 3379 patients. The data triangulation indicated that patients understand the outcome information, they find it valuable, it supports decision-making, and it improves patient-clinician interaction. The following variables were independently associated with better general understanding: having more difficulty with questionnaires (standardized odds ratio 0.34 [95%-CI 031-0.38]), having a finger condition (0.72 [0.57-0.92]), longer follow-up (0.75 [0.61-0.91]), and undergoing surgical treatment (ref: non-surgical treatment, 1.33 [1.11-1.59]). For more general value, these were: having more difficulty with questionnaires (0.40 [0.36-0.44]), having a wrist condition (0.71 [0.54-0.92]), better hand function (1.12 [1.02-1.22]), and requiring help with questionnaires (1.65 [1.33-2.05]).

CONCLUSION

Patients value the use of patient- and outcome information tools in daily care and find it easy to understand. The factors associated with understanding and value can be targeted to personalized and value-based healthcare. We recommend using outcome information to improve patient independence, empowerment, and involvement in decision-making.

Association of baseline and changes in health-related quality of life with mortality following myocardial infarction: multicentre longitudinal linked cohort study

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for patients following myocardial infarction (MI) is frequently impaired. We investigated the association of baseline and changes in HRQoL with mortality following MI.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Nationwide longitudinal study of 9474 patients admitted to 77 hospitals in England as part of the Evaluation of the Methods and Management of Acute Coronary Events study. Self-reported HRQoL was collected using EuroQol EQ-5D-3L during hospitalization and at 1, 6, and 12 months following discharge. The data was analysed using flexible parametric and multilevel survival models. Of 9474 individuals with MI, 2360 (25%) were women and 2135 (22.5%) died during the 9-year follow-up period. HRQoL improved over 12 months (baseline mean, mean increase: EQ-5D 0.76, 0.003 per month; EQ-VAS 69.0, 0.5 per month). At baseline, better HRQoL was inversely associated with mortality [Hazard ratio (HR) 0.55, 95% CI 0.47-0.63], and problems with self-care (HR 1.73, 1.56-1.92), mobility (1.65, 1.50-1.81), usual activities (1.34, 1.23-1.47), and pain/discomfort (1.34, 1.22-1.46) were associated with increased mortality. Deterioration in mobility, pain/discomfort, usual activities, and self-care over 12 months were associated with increased mortality (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.31-1.58; 1.21, 1.11-1.32; 1.20, 1.10-1.32; 1.44, 1.30-1.59, respectively).

CONCLUSION

After MI, poor HRQoL at baseline, its dimensions, and deterioration over time are associated with an increased risk of mortality. Measuring HRQoL in routine clinical practice after MI could identify at-risk groups for interventions to improve prognosis.

Supporting follow-up care in colorectal cancer patients: first experiences with the Assessment of Burden of ColoRectal Cancer (ABCRC)-tool

PURPOSE

The Assessment of Burden of ColoRectal Cancer (ABCRC)-tool is a unique tool that includes a PROM focused on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), functional outcomes and lifestyle assessment. Furthermore, it provides visualization of results and treatment advice. The tool aims to support follow-up consultations of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the first experiences of patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) with the ABCRC-tool.

METHODS

The ABCRC-tool was implemented in two Dutch hospitals and used by 25 patients and 5 HCPs during follow-up care. Consultations were audio-recorded and their content was analyzed independently by two researchers. Semi-structured interviews with patients and HCPs were conducted after the consultation. Interviews focused on the overall experience with the tool, ease of use, interpretation of the PROM and the visualized results and on the added value of the tool.

RESULTS

Audio recording revealed that multiple topics, relevant to patients, were discussed during consultations with the ABCRC-tool. Patients and HCPs appreciated the ABCRC-tool as it added structure to the consultation, was helpful in the preparation of consultations and provided useful and convenient treatment options. The tool was easy to use, and the visualization was clear and informative. HCPs suggested that the tool is likely to be most relevant for patients in the first year of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

This study implies that the ABCRC-tool is of added value for patients and their HCPs. Future research should focus on the evaluation of broad implementation, across a wide range of CRC patients.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

The ABCRC-tool is a valid tool to support CRC survivors and HCPs to monitor and visualize experienced burden of disease and lifestyle parameters in order to optimize personalized care.

Patient-reported outcome measures in value-based healthcare: A multiple methods study to assess patient-centredness

OBJECTIVES

Value-based healthcare (VBHC) involves the use of standardised outcome measures, including patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). This study aimed to assess to what extent discussion of PROMs is associated with patient- and person-centredness.

METHODS

This study used a separate sample pre-/post-test design and multiple methods (observations, questionnaires, and interviews) in a VBHC care pathway for patients with a vestibular schwannoma, to assess to what extent the implementation of PROMs is associated with a difference in patient- and person-centredness.

RESULTS

A total of 139 patients with a vestibular schwannoma and their four treating physicians were included in the study. No significant differences were found in observed patient-centredness (Mpre=6.71 ± 2.42 vs. Mpost=6.93 ± 2.01; P = 0.60) or patient-reported patient-centredness (Mpre=1.73 vs. Mpost=1.68; P = 0.63) and person-centredness after PROM implementation (Mpre=11.81 vs. Mpost=13.42; P = 0.34). We observed more discussion of patient-reported outcomes. However, a majority of patients did not expect PRO discussion in consultations.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of standardised PROMs in a VBHC care pathway was associated with more discussion on patient-reported outcomes in clinical consultations. Overall, the implementation of PROMs was not observed or perceived as leading to more patient-centred consultations.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Physicians should assess whether the discussion of PROMs add value collaboratively with patients.

BREAST-Q REACT: Qualitative Assessment of the Design, Functionality, and Clinical Utility of a New Score Interpretation Tool

BACKGROUND

The BREAST-Q real-time engagement and communication tool (REACT) was developed to aid with BREAST-Q score interpretation and guide patient-centered care.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perspectives of patients and providers on the design, functionality, and clinical utility of REACT and refine the REACT based on their recommendations.

METHODS

We conducted three patient focus groups with women who were at least 6 postoperative months from their postmastectomy breast reconstruction, and two provider focus groups with plastic surgeons, breast surgeons, and advanced practice providers. Focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically.

RESULTS

A total of 18 breast reconstruction patients and 14 providers participated in the focus groups. Themes identified by thematic analysis were organized into two categories: (1) design and functionality, and (2) clinical utility. On the design and functionality of REACT, four major themes were identified: visual appeal and usefulness; contextualizing results; ability to normalize patients' experiences, noting participants' concerns; and suggested modifications. On the clinical utility of REACT, three major themes were identified: potential to empower patients to communicate with their providers; increase patient and provider motivation to engage with the BREAST-Q; and effective integration into clinical workflow.

CONCLUSION

Patients and providers in this qualitative study indicated that with some modifications, REACT has a great potential to elevate the clinical utility of the BREAST-Q by enhancing patient-provider communication that can lead to patient-centered, clinically relevant action recommendations based on longitudinal BREAST-Q scores.

Implementing Systematic Patient-Reported Measures for Chronic Conditions Through the Naveta Value-Based Telemedicine Initiative: Observational Retrospective Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

Patient-reported outcome and experience measures can play a critical role in providing patient-centered and value-based health care to a growing population of patients who are chronically ill. Value-based telemedicine platforms such as the Naveta initiative may facilitate the effective integration of these tools into health care systems.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the response rate to electronic patient-reported outcome measures (ePROMs) and electronic patient-reported experience measures (ePREMs) among patients participating in the Naveta telemedicine initiative and its correlations with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the evolution of the response rates over time.

METHODS

Between January 1, 2021, and June 30, 2023, a total of 53,364 ePREMs and ePROMs for 20 chronic conditions were administered through the Naveta-Phemium platform. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize continuous and categorical variables. Differences in response rates within each sociodemographic variable were analyzed using logistic regression models, with significance assessed via chi-square and post hoc Tukey tests. Two-way ANOVA was used to examine the interaction between time interval and disease type on response rate evolution.

RESULTS

A total of 3372 patients with severe chronic diseases from 64 public hospitals in Spain participated in the Naveta health questionnaire project. The overall response rate to ePROMs and ePREMs during the first 2.5 years of the Naveta initiative was 46.12% (24,704/53,364), with a baseline rate of 53.33% (7198/13,496). Several sociodemographic factors correlated with lower response rates, including male gender, older age, lower education level, frequent alcohol use, being a student, and not being physically active. There were also significant variations in response rates among different types of chronic conditions (P<.001), with the highest rates being for respiratory (433/606, 71.5%), oncologic (200/319, 62.7%), digestive (2247/3601, 62.4%), and rheumatic diseases (7506/12,982, 57.82%) and the lowest being for HIV infection (7473/22,695, 32.93%). During the first 6 months of follow-up, the response rates decreased in all disease types, except in the case of the group of patients with oncologic disease, among whom the response rate increased up to 100% (6/6). Subsequently, the overall response rate approached baseline levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Recognizing the influence of sociodemographic factors on response rates is critical to identifying barriers to participation in telemonitoring programs and ensuring inclusiveness in patient-centered health care practices. The observed decline in response rates at follow-up may be due to survey fatigue, highlighting the need for strategies to mitigate this effect. In addition, the variation in response rates across chronic conditions emphasizes the importance of tailoring telemonitoring approaches to specific patient populations.

Development and validation of clinical implementation methods for patient-reported outcomes in Japanese multi-center palliative care units

BACKGROUND

Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) are recommended for use in clinical oncology. However, they are not routinely used in professional palliative care practices in Japan. The reasons include both patient and healthcare provider factors and the implementation of PROs. This study aimed to develop and validate clinical implementation methods for PROs in Japanese palliative care units.

METHODS

The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was conducted with four palliative care units in Japan. The study was conducted in six steps: unit assessment, development and implementation of a PRO implementation plan, PRO post-implementation survey and analysis of its utilization, a review of the PRO implementation process, creation of a PRO implementation method in a palliative care unit, and use and verification of the implementation method. Steps 1-5 were the development phase, and step 6 was the verification phase.

RESULTS

Interviews were conducted with healthcare providers prior to PRO implementation. Intervention characteristics, patient needs in the palliative care unit, and factors related to the organization were identified as barriers. The implementation plan was developed, and the core members were selected. The implementation procedures were created in the above mentioned steps. PROs were used in the palliative care units. The same was true in the validation phase.

CONCLUSIONS

This study guided PROs in specialized palliative care unit in a clinical setting. The method was developed and validated for the implementation of PROs in the palliative care unit. In the PRO implementation process, it was important to assess the unit, address the barriers to implementation, and reduce the burden on healthcare providers. Furthermore, healthcare providers had to be supported by the champion, a person responsible for the implementation of PROs in the palliative care unit.

Symptom experiences and influencing factors in patients undergoing chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers: a qualitative study

Objective

To explore the symptom experiences and influencing factors of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients on chemotherapy (CTX) in China.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 GI cancer patients undergoing CTX. Following the Colaizzi 7-step analysis method, the interview data were read carefully, meaningful statements related to the research questions were extracted, coded, collected, and described in detail, and the authenticity of the theme was verified.

Results

Nine themes were grouped into two main areas including the characteristics of symptom experiences and influences on symptom experiences.

Conclusion

The symptom experiences of patients undergoing CTX for GI cancer is poor and influenced by multiple factors. Nurses need to pay attention to the assessment and monitoring of CTX-related symptoms, improve symptom recognition, enhance doctor-patient communication and social support, explore intelligent management methods, and increase the efficiency of healthcare services to improve patients' symptom experience.

Application of Patient-Reported Outcome Measurements in Adult Tumor Clinical Trials in China: Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

International health policies and researchers have emphasized the value of evaluating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in clinical studies. However, the characteristics of PROs in adult tumor clinical trials in China remain insufficiently elucidated.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess the application and characteristics of PRO instruments as primary or secondary outcomes in adult randomized clinical trials related to tumors in China.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study identified tumor-focused randomized clinical trials conducted in China between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2022. The ClinicalTrials.gov database and the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry were selected as the databases. Trials were classified into four groups based on the use of PRO instruments: (1) trials listing PRO instruments as primary outcomes, (2) trials listing PRO instruments as secondary outcomes, (3) trials listing PRO instruments as coprimary outcomes, and (4) trials without any mention of PRO instruments. Pertinent data, including study phase, settings, geographic regions, centers, participant demographics (age and sex), funding sources, intervention types, target diseases, and the names of PRO instruments, were extracted from these trials. The target diseases involved in the trials were grouped according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual, 8th Edition.

RESULTS

Among the 6445 trials examined, 2390 (37.08%) incorporated PRO instruments as part of their outcomes. Within this subset, 26.82% (641/2390) listed PRO instruments as primary outcomes, 52.72% (1260/2390) as secondary outcomes, and 20.46% (489/2390) as coprimary outcomes. Among the 2,155,306 participants included in these trials, PRO instruments were used to collect data from 613,648 (28.47%) patients as primary or secondary outcomes and from 74,287 (3.45%) patients as coprimary outcomes. The most common conditions explicitly using specified PRO instruments included thorax tumors (217/1280, 16.95%), breast tumors (176/1280, 13.75%), and lower gastrointestinal tract tumors (173/1280, 13.52%). Frequently used PRO instruments included the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire-30, the visual analog scale, the numeric rating scale, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Symptom Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

CONCLUSIONS

Over recent years, the incorporation of PROs has demonstrated an upward trajectory in adult randomized clinical trials on tumors in China. Nonetheless, the infrequent measurement of the patient's voice remains noteworthy. Disease-specific PRO instruments should be more effectively incorporated into various tumor disease categories in clinical trials, and there is room for improvement in the inclusion of PRO instruments as clinical trial end points.

Associations between health-related quality of life and subsequent need for specialized palliative care and hospital utilization in patients with gastrointestinal cancer-a prospective single-center cohort study

BACKGROUND

We lack knowledge of which factors are associated with the risk of developing complex palliative care needs. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between patient-reported health-related quality of life and subsequent referral to specialized palliative care (SPC) and hospital utilization.

METHODS

This was a prospective single-center cohort study. Data on patient-reported outcomes were collected through the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer Questionnaire-Core-15-Palliative Care (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL) at the time of diagnosis. Covariates and hospital utilization outcomes were collected from medical records. Adjusted logistic and Poisson regression were applied in the analyses. Participants were newly diagnosed with incurable gastrointestinal cancer and affiliated with a palliative care case management intervention established in a gastroenterology department.

RESULTS

Out of 397 patients with incurable gastrointestinal cancer, 170 were included in the study. Patients newly diagnosed with incurable gastrointestinal cancer experienced a substantial burden of symptoms. Pain was significantly associated with subsequent referral to SPC (OR 1.015; 95% CI 1.001-1.029). Patients with lower education levels (OR 0.210; 95% CI 0.056-0.778) and a Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 2 or more (OR 0.173; 95% CI 0.041-0.733) were less likely to be referred to SPC. Pain (IRR 1.011; 95% CI 1.005-1.018), constipation (IRR 1.009; 95% CI 1.004-1.015), and impaired overall quality of life (IRR 0.991; 95% CI 0.983-0.999) were significantly associated with increased risk of hospital admissions.

CONCLUSION

The study indicates a need for interventions in hospital departments to identify and manage the substantial symptom burden experienced by patients, provide palliative care, and ensure timely referral to SPC.

Developing feasible and acceptable strategies for integrating the use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in gender-affirming care: An implementation study

OBJECTIVE

Use CFIR guidance to create comprehensive, evidence-based, feasible, and acceptable gender-affirming care PROM implementation strategies.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS

A 3-Phase participatory process was followed to design feasible and acceptable strategies for integrating PROMs in gender-affirming care. In Phase 1, barriers and enablers to PROM implementation for gender-affirming care were identified from a previous systematic review and our prior qualitative study. We used the CFIR-ERIC tool to match previously identified barriers and enablers with expert-endorsed implementation strategies. In Phase 2, implementation strategy outputs from CFIR-ERIC were organised according to cumulative percentage value. In Phase 3, gender-affirming care PROM implementation strategies underwent iterative refinement based on rounds of stakeholder feedback with seven patient and public partners and a gender-affirming healthcare professional.

RESULTS

The systematic review and qualitative study identified barriers and enablers to PROM implementation spanning all five CFIR domains, and 30 CFIR constructs. The top healthcare professional-relevant strategies to PROM implementation from the CFIR-ERIC output include: identifying and preparing implementation champions, collecting feedback on PROM implementation, and capturing and sharing local knowledge between clinics on implementation. Top patient-relevant strategies include: having educational material on PROMs, ensuring adaptability of PROMs, and collaborating with key local organisations who may be able to support patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This study developed evidence-based, feasible, and acceptable strategies for integrating PROMs in gender-affirming care, representing evidence from a systematic review of 286 international articles, a qualitative study of 24 gender-affirming care patients and healthcare professionals, and iteration from 7 patient and public partners and a gender-affirming healthcare professional. The finalised strategies include patient- and healthcare professional-relevant strategies for implementing PROMs in gender-affirming care. Clinicians and researchers can select and tailor implementation strategies best applying to their gender-affirming care setting.

Patient Reported Fatigue Among Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Patients Compared to Non-Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients and survivors are a growing population due to more frequent diagnoses and improved survival. Fatigue is a common symptom experienced by cancer patients and it is often missed by health care professionals. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) can assist in evaluating patient reported fatigue. This systematic review aims to determine if AYA cancer patients report more fatigue than AYAs who have not been diagnosed with cancer. We used a subset of articles from a larger review that searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to determine which PROMs and domains are currently being used to evaluate AYA cancer. This study identified 175 articles related to PROMs in the AYA cancer population. Articles with PROMs reporting on fatigue/vitality were used in this review. From the original 175 articles, we identified 8 fatigue/vitality articles for this review. All eight articles found an increase in fatigue/decrease in vitality in the AYA cancer population compared to healthy controls. A meta-analysis was performed on four articles that used the same PROM tool (EORTC QLQ-C30). This found a statistically significant and clinically meaningful increase in mean fatigue of 12.5 95% confidence interval: 3.3-21.8 points (scale 0-100, higher number indicates more fatigue) in the AYA cancer group compared to healthy noncancer controls. Fatigue in the AYA cancer population is a significant issue, it is often undetected and underreported, and early interventions are needed to prevent the negative subsequent sequelae.

The Assessment of Burden of ColoRectal Cancer (ABCRC)-tool; a validity and reliability study

INTRODUCTION

Follow-up care after treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasingly focused on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functional outcomes. The Assessment of Burden of ColoRectal Cancer (ABCRC)-tool is developed to measure these outcomes and support patient-oriented care. The tool comprises items assessing burden of disease and lifestyle parameters. It consists of a generic module combined with one of the three CRC specific modules. The objective of this study is to assess the construct validity and reliability of the items of the ABCRC-tool.

METHODS

Patients who were receiving follow-up care after surgical CRC treatment were invited to complete the ABCRC-tool together with other validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Construct validity was assessed by testing expected correlations between items of the ABCRC-tool and domains of other PROMs and by examining predefined hypotheses regarding differences in subgroups of patients. Patients completed the ABCRC-tool twice, with 8 days apart, to evaluate its reliability.

RESULTS

In total, 177 patients participated (64% male) with a mean age of 67 years (range 33-88). The colon, rectum and stoma module were completed by subsequently 89, 53 and 35 patients. Most items correlated as expected with anticipated domains of the EORTC QLQ-C30 or EORTC QLQ-CR29 (all p-values <0.05). Furthermore, the ABCRC-tool could discriminate between subgroups of patients. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was good (>0.70) for most items, indicating good reliability.

CONCLUSION

The ABCRC-tool is a valid and reliable instrument that is ready for use in a clinical setting to support personalized follow-up care after CRC treatment.

Seizing the moment: The time for harnessing electronic patient-reported outcome measures for enhanced and sustainable metastatic breast cancer care is now

The sustainability of healthcare systems is under pressure. Unlike care for many other chronic diseases, cancer care has yet to empower patients in effectively self-managing both the medical and emotional consequences of their condition, including adapting to changes in lifestyle and work, which is essential to achieve optimal health and recovery. Although proposed as a potential solution for sustainable healthcare and support for optimal health and recovery already decades ago, practical implementation of digital care lags behind. We believe electronic patient reported outcome measures (ePROMs) could play an important role in creating sustainable healthcare, both to guide complex treatment pathways and to empower survivors to self-manage consequences of diagnosis and treatment. That is, ePROMs can be used for screening and monitoring of symptoms, but also for treatment decision-making and to facilitate communication about quality of life. We therefore see opportunities for improvements in quality of care, quality of life, and survival of cancer patients, as well as research opportunities, as ePROMs collection can lead to better understanding of care needs. The '10 Actions for Change report' of the Advanced Breast Cancer Global Alliance stresses a critical need for improvement of care for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. We therefore in this paper focus on MBC care and research.

What Are the Perceptions of Recipients of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant About Medication Adherence?: A Synthesis of Qualitative Studies

BACKGROUND

Recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) may encounter difficulties in adhering to their post-transplant medication as prescribed to avoid complications. Despite the relevance of patients' perspectives to inform the clinical practice, to date, no summary regarding their lived experience of oral medication adherence (MA) has been produced.

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the lived experience of MA by recipients of allogeneic HSCT as documented in qualitative studies.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative research was performed. Six databases were searched up to June 27, 2023. Four qualitative studies met eligibility and were included: those designed and conducted with scientifically sound methodologies and those regarding adult patients who had undergone allogeneic HSCT and required an oral medication regimen in the post-transplant phase. Data were extracted and synthesized using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four analytical themes were identified: "The initiation is a challenge," "Time as a new issue," "Internal and external obstacles threaten medication adherence," and "Different strategies are the answer to medication non-adherence."

CONCLUSIONS

Medication adherence in patients after HSCT is a complex phenomenon wherein different factors play a role. When designing targeted interventions to improve MA, it is imperative to start with patients' experiences and perspectives.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Patients developed different strategies to deal with obstacles to MA that may inform daily practice. Before discharge, healthcare professionals should emphasize to both patients and carers the importance of MA.

Measurement Properties of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of a Central Nervous System Tumor: A Systematic Review

Purpose: To identify and evaluate patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for assessing survivorship-related concepts for adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Methods: We searched five electronic databases. Two researchers independently screened all titles for inclusion and used consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments (COSMIN) guidance to grade the quality of evidence for each measurement property. Results: Four studies met eligibility criteria: single-item pain thermometer; single-item fatigue thermometer; 37-item pediatric functional assessment of cancer therapy-brain tumor survivors, measuring quality of life; and 12-item Perceived Barriers Scale to assess barriers to employment. The Perceived Barrier Scale showed high-quality evidence for internal consistency and moderate quality evidence for construct and structural validity. Evidence for the measurement properties of the other PROMs was low-to-moderate quality. Conclusion: We found one PROM with sufficient evidence for good measurement properties to support its use. This warrants development and evaluation of further PROMs to inform ongoing supportive care for this population. Implications for Cancer Survivors: The Perceived Barriers Scale is sufficiently validated and could be considered to guide support for AYA survivors of CNS tumors to achieve their employment goals.

The value of using patient-reported outcomes for health screening during long-term follow-up after paediatric stem cell transplantation for nonmalignant diseases

INTRODUCTION

The assessment of using patient-reported outcomes (PROs) within comprehensive care follow-up programmes, specifically focused on health screening, remains largely unexplored. PROs were implemented in our late effects and comprehensive care programme after paediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for nonmalignant diseases. The programme focuses solely on screening of physical and mental health and on discussing PROs during the consultation.

METHODS

The primary method of this study was semistructured interviews to explore the perspective of both patients and healthcare providers' (HCP) on the use of PROs, which were thematically analyzed. Additionally, an explorative quantitative approach with patient-reported experience measures (PREMS) was used, with a pretest-posttest design, to assess whether the use of PROs was accompanied by more patient-centred care.

RESULTS

From the patient-interviews (N = 15) four themes were extracted: use of PROs (1) help to discuss topics; (2) make the patients feel understood; (3) create a moment of self-reflection; and (4) make consultations more efficient. Pre- and postimplementation analysis of PREMs (N = 40) did not show significant differences in terms of patient-centeredness.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate the added value of integrating PROs for health screening purposes within the long-term follow-up programme after paediatric HSCT, as perceived by both patient and HCP. With the active use of PROs, patients are stimulated to consciously assess their health status.

PATIENT CONTRIBUTION

This study included patients as participants. Caregivers were approached if patients were below a certain age. Additionally, preliminary results were shared with all patients (including nonparticipants) during a patient conference day.

Establishing Meaningful Change Thresholds in Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Patients With Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in ALTA-1L Trial

OBJECTIVES

An earlier study from the ALTA-1L trial of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer demonstrated that brigatinib produces superior health-related quality of life (QoL) outcomes over crizotinib. This study aimed to derive meaningful change thresholds (MCTs) for European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ)-C30 and EORTC QLQ-LC13 to refine the earlier results.

METHODS

Patients from the ALTA-1L trial were administered the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-LC13 questionnaires. Responses were analyzed using anchor-based analysis, graphical analysis, distribution-based analysis, longitudinal responder analysis, and time to deterioration.

RESULTS

The patient-reported outcome population comprised 262 patients who completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 at baseline and at least 1 follow-up timepoint. Both anchors (QLQ-C30 items for overall health and QoL) had correlations >0.40 or < -0.40 with all functioning domains, fatigue, pain, appetite loss, and all dyspnea scores. Within-group analysis for most scales found the derived MCT was consistent with a cutoff of 10 points for classifying individual-patient change, except for 3-item dyspnea. The probability of improvement/remaining stable was significantly greater in the brigatinib group over crizotinib for the EORTC QLQ-C30 emotional functioning, appetite loss, and constipation domains.

CONCLUSIONS

This study derived MCTs for EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-LC13 domains that may be applied in future studies and again demonstrated the superiority of brigatinib over crizotinib in health-related QoL outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Evaluating health perceptions of soft-tissue sarcoma patients using the Wilson-Cleary Model to identify key targets for improving outcomes and quality of care

INTRODUCTION

Soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) is a rare cancer of the connective tissues requiring invasive treatment. Due to the complexity of treatment, STS patients experience more functional impairment and disability than other oncologic populations. Given that extant literature is unclear and exclusively focused on physical function, the objectives of this study were to use the Wilson-Cleary Model of HRQL to evaluate the extent to which biological function (tumor site, depth and size), symptoms (fatigue, pain, anxiety/depression), and functional status are associated with the health perceptions of soft-tissue sarcoma patients 12 months post-op.

METHODS

Data were drawn from an inception cohort study at the McGill University Health Centre. Inclusion criteria included 18 years of age and a biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of STS. Those with evidence of metastasis at diagnosis or less than 12 months of follow-up were excluded. Statistical analyses included T-tests, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

331 patients were included (185 males, 146 females) with mean (SD) ages of 56 (17). Significantly more females reported pain and anxiety/depression. Self-reported function was significantly higher in males. Overall, the regression model explained 53 % of the variance in health perceptions in males, and 48 % in females. Only self-reported function was significantly associated with health perceptions in males (B = 0.34) and females (B = 0.48). Further, compared to females without pain, females with pain perceived their health as significantly worse.

CONCLUSION

Evaluating health perceptions with a multidimensional lens revealed new information about the STS patient experience. Findings suggest that key targets include routine psychosocial distress monitoring and addressing rectifiable disability-related barriers promptly.

The use of patient reported outcome measures in oncology clinical practice across Australia and New Zealand

BACKGROUND

While there is increasing evidence on the benefits of PROMs in cancer care, the extent of routine collection and use of PROMs in clinical cancer practice across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) is unknown. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of PROMs use in routine clinical cancer care in ANZ.

METHODS

An online survey was designed and disseminated via professional societies and organisations using a snowball sampling approach to clinical and health administration professionals managing cancer care in ANZ. A poster advertising the study was also circulated on professional social media networks via LinkedIn and Twitter inviting health professionals from ANZ to participate if they were using or intending to use PROMs in clinical cancer practice. Responders opted into the survey via the survey link.

RESULTS

From 132 survey views, 91(response rate, 69%) respondents from 56 clinical practices across ANZ agreed to participate in the survey, and of these 55 (n = 55/91, 60%) respondents reported collecting PROMs within their clinical practice. The majority of the respondents were from the State of New South Wales in Australia (n = 21/55, 38%), hospital (n = 35/55, 64%), and a public setting (n = 46/55, 83%). PROMs were collected in all cancer types (n = 21/36, 58%), in all stages of the disease (n = 31/36, 86%), in an adult population (n = 33/36, 92%), applied in English (n = 33/36, 92%), and used to facilitate communication with other reasons (27/36, 75%). A geospatial map analysis provided insights into the variation in PROMs uptake between the two countries and in certain jurisdictions within Australia. This study also highlights the limited resources for PROMs implementation, and a lack of systematic priority driven approach.

CONCLUSION

PROM use across Australia and New Zealand seems variable and occurring predominantly in larger metropolitan centres with limited standardisation of approach and implementation. A greater focus on equitable adoption of PROMs in diverse cancer care settings is urgently needed.