The Digital Transformation of Patient-Reported Outcomes' (PROs) Functionality Within Healthcare

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Digital Health
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Traditionally, Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) have been collected through manual methods.
• The integration of digital technologies has initiated a significant transformation in healthcare data collection.
• Understanding the evolution of PROs is crucial for modernizing clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the functional evolution of Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) driven by digital transformation.
• To compare traditional PRO data collection with the application of electronic PROs (ePROs).
• To discuss the current and future functionality of PROs in healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• A systematic scoping review of relevant literature was conducted.
• The review synthesized findings on the transition from traditional PROs to ePROs.
• Analysis focused on changes in data accessibility, timeliness, and systematic application.

Main Results:

• Digitalization of PROs (ePROs) enhances data by making it more timely, accessible, and systematic.
• ePROs facilitate progression-oriented data collection, offering deeper insights into patient health.
• The digital transformation supplements, rather than replaces, the core functionalities of PROs.

Conclusions:

• Electronic PROs (ePROs) represent a significant advancement in capturing patient health information.
• While digital transformation offers substantial benefits, further improvements are required for comprehensive healthcare integration.
• Optimizing ePROs is essential for maximizing their utility in contemporary healthcare systems.