Patient-reported outcomes in heart failure: existing measures and future uses

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are any report obtained directly from a patient about how they feel or function in relation to their health condition and its therapies. Strong support for PROs exists at multiple levels of the health-care community from regulatory boards to clinical researchers. PROs are particularly important in heart failure because it is a common chronic illness marked with acute exacerbations, often requiring hospitalization, and significant symptom burden. Use of PROs to understand patient perspectives will help providers deliver more patient-centered care, and thus improve the quality of care. This review provides a contemporary overview of the current state of PROs in heart failure and suggests future directions and opportunities to advance PRO use to provide more comprehensive care. Advancing PRO measurement along with incorporating longitudinal measures in national databases and local electronic health records will serve to improve patient-centered care for patients with heart failure.