Patient-reported outcome

Patient-reported outcome (pronunciation: pay-shunt ree-pohrt-ed owt-kohm; etymology: Latin patiens, meaning 'suffering', and English report and outcome) is a health outcome directly reported by the patient who experienced it. It stands as a key component in clinical research and healthcare quality measurement.

Definition

A patient-reported outcome (PRO) is a report of the status of a patient’s health condition that comes directly from the patient, without interpretation of the patient’s response by a clinician or anyone else. It can be measured in absolute terms (e.g., severity of a symptom, sign, or state of a disease) or as a change from a previous measure.

Importance

PROs are important because they provide a direct report from the patient about how they feel or function in relation to a health condition and its therapy. They are used in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and other clinical studies, as well as in routine patient care.

Types of PROs

There are several types of PROs, including Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), Patient-Reported Experience Measures (PREMs), and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) measures.

Use in Clinical Research

In clinical research, PROs are used to assess the efficacy of a treatment from the patient's perspective. They are often used in clinical trials to determine the effect of a treatment on the symptoms, functional status, and overall quality of life of patients.

Use in Healthcare Quality Measurement

In healthcare quality measurement, PROs are used to assess the quality of care from the patient's perspective. They can provide valuable information about the effectiveness of care, patient satisfaction, and the impact of care on the patient's quality of life.