Quality of Life Trajectories with EHR Integration

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Clinical Research Technology
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Quality of Life (QoL) is a critical endpoint in clinical research.
• Electronic tools facilitate frequent collection of QoL data.
• Integrating QoL data into Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is essential for clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the technical and clinical feasibility of transferring patient-reported QoL data from smartphones to EHR systems.
• To address the information security challenges associated with internet-based data transfer.

Main Methods:

• Development of a proof-of-concept system for high-frequency QoL data collection.
• Implementation of secure data transfer protocols from patient smartphones to EHRs.
• Evaluation of the technical and clinical viability of the integrated system.

Main Results:

• The proof-of-concept successfully demonstrated the technical feasibility of the data transfer process.
• Clinical feasibility was also confirmed, indicating the approach's potential for real-world application.
• The study addressed and overcame key information security concerns.

Conclusions:

• Integrating high-frequency, patient-generated QoL data into EHRs is achievable.
• This approach enhances the utility of QoL data in clinical practice.
• Secure data transfer methods are crucial for patient data protection in digital health.