A Short Report Examining the Introduction of Routine Use of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in a Mixed Oncology...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Digital Health
• Patient Monitoring

Background:

• Patients with treatable but not curable cancer experience significant symptom burden.
• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated remote monitoring solutions due to reduced in-person consultations.
• University Hospitals Sussex aimed to integrate electronic PROMs for this patient group.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate the routine use of electronic remote patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).
• To monitor the needs of patients with treatable but not curable cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To assess the effectiveness of remote monitoring in providing clinical feedback.

Main Methods:

• A 9-month prospective study using the My Clinical Outcomes (MCO) platform for electronic PROMs.
• Patients received email prompts to complete assessments (EORTC QLQ-C30, EQ-5D-3L, EQ-5D VAS) bi-weekly.
• Clinical interventions were prompted by monitoring patient scores and changes.

Main Results:

• 324 patients completed at least one assessment, with a median of eight assessments per patient.
• The most common tumor groups were secondary breast (28%) and prostate (25%).
• Median PROMs scores did not significantly deteriorate for most patients with non-curable conditions.

Conclusions:

• Routine electronic remote PROMs are effective for real-time clinical feedback in oncology.
• Online platforms like MCO can provide efficient, patient-centered data for cancer care.
• This strategy supports continuous monitoring and timely intervention for patients with chronic cancer conditions.