Stakeholder Development of an Online Program to Track Arthritis-Related Patient-Reported Outcomes Longitudinally:...

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used in clinical settings but may not provide benefits to patients outside of health encounters. The Arthritis Foundation's Live Yes! Network provides an opportunity for PROM use by individuals and the network that assists individuals with managing their arthritis between encounters. Our objective was to develop a patient-reported outcomes platform for the network, Live Yes! INSIGHTS, using mixed methods and extensive stakeholder input.

A mixed methods longitudinal transformation design was used, starting with semistructured interviews to specify the main priorities of the program, literature review to identify potential PROMs, modified Delphi and nominal group technique to select final PROMs, and focus groups to guide program implementation, messaging, and use of results. We gathered input from 93 participants, including from individuals living with arthritis (74% of participants), caregivers, providers, researchers, and measurement experts.

Our mixed methods study resulted in the selection of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-29, PROMIS Emotional Support Short Form v2.0, and the Health Care Empowerment Questionnaire, to be deployed through a Qualtrics platform. Triangulation of data resulted in identification of potential risks and benefits, including confidentiality, ability to personally track and share data, and an opportunity to contribute to research.

An accessible measurement system backed by psychometrically strong PROMs, created with robust stakeholder engagement, and linked to a national patient network sets the stage for individuals with arthritis to better monitor and improve health outcomes both outside and inside health care settings and for the network to customize programming to meet needs.