Patient-reported outcome measures in orthopaedics

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs)
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Patient Activity Treatment Outcome Scale (PATOS) is a novel patient-reported outcome measure (PROM).
• This study explored patient and surgeon experiences with PATOS within a PROM battery for knee/hip osteoarthritis patients undergoing arthroplasty.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the influence of PATOS on patient involvement in healthcare decisions.
• Understand patient and surgeon perspectives on using PROMs in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research design utilizing semi-structured interviews.
• 19 patients and 9 orthopaedic surgeons were interviewed.
• Thematic analysis was applied to interview transcripts.

Main Results:

• Home-based PROM completion encouraged patient reflection and better-prepared surgical discussions.
• Challenges included integrating PATOS within a larger PROM battery and a high questionnaire load.
• PROMs were not actively used in the final decision-making process.

Conclusions:

• Concerns exist regarding questionnaire burden and limited integration of PROMs into clinical decision-making.
• Refining PROM application is crucial for both patient and surgeon satisfaction in orthopaedic care.