Selecting and Implementing Patient-Reported Outcome and Experience Measures to Assess Health System Performance

JAMA Health Forum. 2022 Apr 1;3(4):e220326. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.0326.

Abstract

Importance: Psychometrically robust patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) are critical to evaluating quality and performance across health services and systems. However, the adoption and implementation of PROMs and PREMs remain a challenge in many countries. The aim of this guide is to support instrument selection and implementation to measure health system performance.

Observations: The guide is split into 3 step-by-step sections. Step 1: Knowing What to Measure discusses what PROMs and PREMs capture and how they differ from related instruments. Step 2: Choosing the Right Instrument describes the critical psychometric properties of validity, reliability, and responsiveness, and provides resources to support instrument selection and evaluation. Step 3: Mitigating Potential PROM and PREM Implementation Barriers outlines key barriers and supports for instrument implementation at system, service, and individual levels.

Conclusions and relevance: This guide aims to provide practical resources for the identification of psychometrically robust PROMs and PREMs, as well as support for their implementation to drive improvements across health systems globally.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measures*
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Surveys and Questionnaires