Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs)
What are PROMs?
Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are questionnaires that ask about your health and wellbeing. The information you give can help to monitor your progress and recovery, help you and your healthcare worker discuss any issues you might have, and improve your care and treatment.
Outcome measures make it much easier to co-produce a personalised care and support plan.
PROMs are different from most questionnaires you might complete as they ask about how you are feeling from your own point of view.
Collecting PROMs digitally
You may have completed an outcome measure on paper before. As part of a new programme we are starting to collect your outcome data digitally. This means we might send questionnaires to your smartphone or email address, or we may ask you to complete an outcome measure on a laptop or tablet while you are attending an appointment.
Not all questionnaires will be the same. Depending on your age and the problems you are experiencing, you may be asked to complete different questionnaires, or you may be asked to complete the same questionnaire at different points in time. This is to see how your health and wellbeing is changing.
The questionnaires will be used to help you and your healthcare team decide the treatment that best fits your needs and wishes. Your healthcare worker will be able to see your answers once you complete the questionnaire. They will share the answers with you and be able to compare it to previous answers you may have given when your treatment is reviewed.
You can watch a video below on how outcome measures work:
If you have been asked to complete a PROMs questionnaire and want to learn more, you can read our frequently asked questions.
Why are we asking people to fill out an outcome measure?
We want to improve the quality of our healthcare services. To do this, it is important to ask people that use our services what they think. PROMs will help:
- Provide more patient-centred care by gathering information on your symptoms, wellbeing and quality of life and help us understand how you are managing on a day-to-day basis
- Improve communication between yourself and your healthcare team and ensure you have an active part in making decisions around your care
- Improve patient wellbeing, outcomes and recovery.
What happens next?
When you are first referred to one of our teams that are using digital PROMs you will be asked to complete an outcome questionnaire. This will help us to better understand the problems you are having and how they are affecting you.
A text message may be sent to your smartphone ahead of your appointment or may be sent to your smartphone after an initial telephone appointment. If you don’t have a smartphone your healthcare worker may ask to send a link to your email address or for you to complete a questionnaire at your next appointment. In a few months’ time you may be sent another questionnaire to see how your health is changing or asked to complete a questionnaire when your care is being reviewed.
Do I have to take part?
Completing PROMs questionnaires will help us better understand your current needs and make sure we provide you the best possible care, but it is not compulsory. If you do not wish to take part, do not complete the questionnaire, and ask your healthcare worker if you can opt-out of having to complete PROMs.
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