Patient-reported outcomes: A primer for plastic surgeons.

Area of Science:

• Surgical outcomes measurement
• Patient-centered care
• Plastic surgery research

Background:

• Modern surgical care emphasizes holistic patient wellbeing, not just clinical outcomes.
• Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) capture the patient's perspective on their health and treatment results.
• PROs serve as a vital complement to clinical findings, offering unique insights into care quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the central role of PROs in healthcare and plastic surgery.
• To identify key PROs relevant to plastic surgery practice and research.
• To explore the future integration of PROs and encourage their adoption by surgeons.

Main Methods:

• This review synthesizes current literature on PROs in surgery.
• It analyzes the utility of PROs in supporting clinical findings and detecting care disparities.
• The review discusses the application of PROs in specialized plastic surgery fields.

Main Results:

• PROs support clinical findings, identify subtle care differences, track patient progress, and drive healthcare improvements.
• Plastic surgery's focus on form and function aligns naturally with PRO assessment.
• Emerging subspecialties like lymphedema and gender-affirming care heavily rely on PROs.

Conclusions:

• PROs are essential for comprehensive surgical evaluation and patient wellbeing.
• The future will see increased development and integration of PRO measures in healthcare delivery.
• Plastic surgeons should actively lead and participate in the advancement of PROs.