What are Patient-Reported Outcomes?
Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as health-related quality of life (HRQOL), symptoms or health status, are reported directly by the patient and provide a systematic way of measuring patients’ views about the impact of disease and treatment on their health and well-being.
Why are PROs important?
PRO data are important in providing the patient's perspective on their own health; this information is valued by patients, healthcare professionals and researchers. PROs have huge potential for use within healthcare.
At an individual level they may inform patient choice regarding treatment; facilitate cooperation between healthcare teams to provide tailored individual care; and identify those most in need of intervention.
At a macro-level PRO data may be used: for audit and quality assurance, to provide long term safety and effectiveness data for treatments, in pay-for-performance initiatives, in prognostic modeling and to inform health-policy.
