Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in clinical practice: oncology health professionals’ insights in a mixed methods needs analysis study

Background Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are essential tools in cancer care, capturing patient perspectives on their physical, psychological, and social well-being while enhancing communication and clinical decision-making. Despite strong international advocacy, uptake remains inconsistent due to limited awareness, training, and perceived applicability. This mixed-methods study assessed knowledge, familiarity, and confidence regarding PROMs among multidisciplinary healthcare professionals (HPs), and explored barriers, facilitators, and perspectives on PROM implementation within Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) Cancer Services. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was distributed to HPs at WSLHD Cancer Services, with consent and data collection managed through REDCap. Following this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with interested HPs across medical, nursing, and allied health staff, exploring PROMs use, experiences, barriers, facilitators, and training needs. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis; descriptive statistics were applied to survey data. Results Fifty-nine participants (41 females) completed the survey, representing radiation oncology (25%), nursing (19%), allied health (10%), medical oncology (7%), and Junior Medical Officers (JMO)/registrars (7%). While 80% were aware of PROMs, only 48% had used them clinically, and familiarity was moderate or lower in over 70%. Knowledge gaps were identified in selecting appropriate PROMs (62%), care integration (54%), end-of-life (70%), and survivorship contexts (63%). Most agreed tailored education (80%) and training (78%) are needed. Twenty-three interviews (17 females) were completed across radiation oncology (30%), cancer nursing (26%), and allied health (17%), among other disciplines. Barriers spanned system and workflow (time constraints, poor EMR integration), PROM-related (tool complexity, limited language translations), and organisational domains (workload, unclear roles). Participants recommended practical, face-to-face training across all disciplines. Conclusions Important gaps in PROM-related knowledge and implementation readiness exist among oncology HPs. Targeted, multidisciplinary training addressing workflow integration is essential to support sustainable PROMs uptake in cancer care.