Patient reported outcome measures: their evolution and expansion in urology

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Informatics
• Health Outcomes Research

Background:

• Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) originated in the 1970s to capture patient perspectives on daily life impacts of disease.
• PROMs became integral to urology in the 1990s with the development of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the history and development of PROMs, specifically focusing on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) within urologic practice.
• To highlight the IIEF's evolution and its significance in assessing erectile dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Literature search of PubMed for PROMs and IIEF history, development, and application.
• Conducted an oral interview with Dr. Raymond C. Rosen, the primary author of the IIEF.

Main Results:

• The IIEF, developed in 1997, is a validated and reliable measure for erectile dysfunction severity.
• The abbreviated IIEF-5 enhanced the use of the IIEF in clinical practice and research.
• PROMs are essential for capturing patient experiences in healthcare.

Conclusions:

• Patient-Reported Outcome Measures are crucial for understanding patient perspectives.
• The International Index of Erectile Function has significantly advanced sexual medicine through its reliable assessment of erectile dysfunction.