ABSTRACT
Use of electronic Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) to collect health-related quality of life (HRQOL) data to inform and enhance routine clinical care has become increasingly common, particularly in oncology. Routine electronic collection and clinical use of PROMs have been found to improve patient HRQOL, treatment adherence, and survival, but implementation of PROMs in routine care has been patchy. Implementation science is playing a growing role in addressing this evidence-practice gap, providing a framework to systematically evaluate PROMs’ implementation barriers (e.g., lack of integration) and enablers (e.g., PROM system co-design) and apply strategies (e.g., education and technical support) to overcome barriers and leverage facilitators. Using implementation science to enhance routine usage of PROMs to assess HRQOL will enable more patient-centred care and help ensure the HRQOL benefits of PROMs collection, and clinical use moves beyond research studies to the real world.
