Patient-reported Outcomes in Digital Health

Patient-reported Outcomes in Digital Health

Digital health is transforming how clinicians and researchers collect patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and improve patient health-related quality of life (HRQL) and how patients can better engage with their health care.  

PROs are health outcomes directly reported by patients, including symptom burden and health-related quality of life (ISOQOL). PROs are essential in supporting a patient-centered approach to healthcare as these outcomes are measured from the patient’s perspective and used to better assess the quality of care (CIHI).  

The healthcare system is transitioning away from traditional methods of PRO data collection (e.g., pen and paper) and moving towards electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) (Guideway Care). ePROs are patient-reported data collected electronically (e.g. using the Zamplo App).  

In this blog, learn about how digital health is transforming PRO collection, clinical care, clinical research, and patient engagement.  

Digital Health Overview 

Digital health refers to digital tools and platforms that improve healthcare products, the delivery of healthcare services, and healthcare outcomes (PwC). Health technology can be used to facilitate the collection of PROs.  

Health technology supports researchers and clinicians in reducing paper waste, lowering costs, improving efficiency, reaching more people, and saving time (NIHR). Researchers can use electronic data capture platforms, like Zamplo Research, to conduct research remotely, increase study reach, and securely collect participant data.  

Using digital health tools, clinicians can streamline care workflows and gather patient-reported data from medical and wearable devices. Clinicians can use PROs to implement patient-centered care by better understanding a patient’s health journey, status, and quality of life (Built In).    

Digital health also benefits patients as they can use tools to save time by connecting with their doctor virtually and focusing on better understanding and managing their health. For example, patients can integrate their wearable devices with smartphone applications to help them track changes in their health.   

Common health technologies include (NIHR; TechTarget):   

• Artificial Intelligence (e.g., assist in diagnosis prediction and providing patient services)  
• Smartphone applications (e.g., remote monitoring, diagnostic apps, fitness tracking)   
• Wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches and smart clothing)   
• Telehealth platforms   

Learn more about digital health and trends here.  

Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) 

Symptoms, functioning, health status, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) are key data types that can be collected through PROs:  

• Symptoms and symptom burden refers to a patient’s frequency and severity of symptoms (e.g., fatigue, pain, and depressive mood) (ISOQOL).  
• Functioning is a patient’s ability to perform basic and more advanced activities of daily life (e.g., physical, cognitive, and sexual function) (Cella, et al.).  
• Health status measures how patients perceive their health and can demonstrate health outcomes, including mortality, morbidity, and functional status (CDC).  
• HRQL encompasses physical, social, and emotional well-being and focuses on a person’s level of ability and daily functioning to experience a fulfilling life (ISOQOL).  

PROs and Clinical Research  

Researchers can assess health-related life quality by collecting patient information using surveys and symptom-tracking assessments. Researchers use patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to conduct comparative and cost-effectiveness analyses and answer research questions (CIHI).   

PROs are a patient-centered measure, allowing researchers to better understand the nature, prevention, treatment and management of specific health conditions (ISOQOL).  

Digital health facilitates the collection of ePROs as research participants can engage in a research study from their smartphone, computer or tablet. Collecting ePROs has various advantages over paper-based collection. It may improve data quality, lead to faster PROM completion times, decrease costs, and facilitate clinical decision-making and symptom management (Meirte, et al.).  

PROs and Clinical Care  

PROs play an important role in better understanding whether healthcare services and procedures are effective and make a difference to a patient’s symptom burden, daily activities, health status and HRQL (CIHI). PROs can be collected to achieve various objectives, including in clinical practice for individual patient management or analyzing quality improvement (ISOQOL).  

For example, patients can periodically report their symptoms and health status via their computer or smartphone using connected health platforms. Clinicians can then access this health data to track a patient’s progress, monitor changes, and adjust clinic visits accordingly (Santana, et al.).  

There are various benefits to using PROMs in healthcare (ISOQOL):  

• Encourages clinicians to treat the “whole” patient, not just the disease.   
• Allows for better communication between clinicians and patients.  
• Engages patients in their care as patients are involved in decision-making.  

Patient Empowerment and Patient-Centered Care  

Patient empowerment is key when implementing a patient-centered approach to healthcare and collecting PROs. Patient empowerment is the process of giving patients more control over their health decisions (NIH). All healthcare stakeholders, including care teams and patients, contribute to patient empowerment and patient-centered care (Santana, et al.).  

Patient-centered care includes (Guideway Care):   

• Respecting a patient’s values, preferences, and needs    
• Better informing and educating patients    
• Including the needs of caregivers and family    
• Improving a patient’s access to care  

Patients who take an active role in managing their health are more aware of their symptoms, functioning, health status, and HRQL, leading to better health outcomes.   

To learn more about patient-centered care, read our blog here.  

PROs and Patient-Centered Care  

PROs play a central role in patient-centered care. Collecting PROs facilitates communication between health professionals, patients and clinicians. It also supports shared decision-making and the monitoring of patient health progression (Santana, et al.).  

Patients who manage and track their health information can gain better insights into their health journey. Self-reporting can improve patient self-awareness, lead to quicker solutions from healthcare providers, and help improve symptoms and other health data (Fleming Medical).  

Key Takeaways  

As technology evolves, it is essential to understand how researchers and clinicians can use digital tools to collect PROs and improve patient HRQL.   

PROs are a patient-centered measure and play a key role in assessing whether healthcare services and procedures are effective and make a difference to a patient’s health data, treatment plan, health status and HRQL (CIHI).   

Patient empowerment is vital when implementing a patient-centered approach to healthcare and collecting PROs as patients become more aware of their health journey and actively support their HRQL, which can lead to better health outcomes.    

With the introduction of digital health tools, like electronic data capture platforms, it is easier than ever for researchers and clinicians to collect PROs.  

Advance clinical research and care with Zamplo Research, an innovative electronic data capture platform. Using this platform, you can assess and improve HRQL by gathering PROs and supplementary health data while engaging patients in their care.