Developing an Intervention to Implement Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes in Renal Services in the UK

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Digital Health
• Patient Outcomes

Background:

• Routine collection of electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) data can enhance patient experience and clinical outcomes.
• Large-scale implementation of ePROs in clinical practice faces significant challenges.
• Optimising routine collection of electronic patient-reported outcomes (OPT-ePRO) is a study addressing these implementation barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an intervention designed to facilitate the routine implementation of ePROs in secondary care.
• To support the integration of ePRO data collection into usual care pathways for patients with chronic kidney disease.
• To address the challenges of scaling up ePRO data collection in a clinical setting.

Main Methods:

• Intervention design guided by Normalisation Process Theory and informed by literature and qualitative research.
• Development of a national infrastructure for secure ePRO data collection, transfer, and display.
• Creation of supporting materials and procedures for patients and healthcare staff.

Main Results:

• An intervention was developed comprising a national ePRO data infrastructure and implementation support resources.
• The intervention is being tested in three UK renal units within the context of secondary care for chronic kidney disease.
• The study is proceeding to the next phase of implementing the intervention into practice and iterative refinement.

Conclusions:

• The OPT-ePRO intervention provides a framework for facilitating the routine use of ePROs in chronic kidney disease care.
• Successful implementation requires a robust technical infrastructure combined with practical support for users.
• Iterative refinement based on real-world practice is crucial for optimizing ePRO integration into clinical pathways.