A multi-level approach for the use of routinely collected patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) data in healthcare systems

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are instruments that measure health, including symptoms, functional status, health perceptions and health-related quality of life, as reported by patients themselves [ 1 ]. Today they gain importance in informing patients, caregivers, managers, and the public on the degree to which the goals of health care are attained. The introduction of PROMs into healthcare settings is not intended to replace existing outcome measures, but rather enhances health outcome measurement by making it more comprehensive and patient-centered. As such, PROMs data should be viewed as complimentary to various types of data traditionally collected in healthcare systems. The use of PROMs alongside clinician-reported outcomes and administrative data can better inform clinical and policy decisions. This underscores the importance of integrating PROMs into existing outcomes measurement systems and linking PROMs data with other patient data sources.