The Power and Promise of Patient Reported Outcomes

Bob Swarlick discusses the integration of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) into clinical practice, emphasizing their importance in measuring the patient illness experience and treatment effectiveness. He argues that current clinical workflows are primarily designed for billing rather than quality of care, highlighting the need for a paradigm shift towards co-production models in healthcare. This involves engaging patients more actively in reporting their health data outside of clinical encounters, which can enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of care. Swarlick presents data from Emory, demonstrating the effective deployment of electronic questionnaires for capturing patients' experiences and outcomes in dermatology. He points out that while clinician assessments focus on objective findings, PROs can capture a broader spectrum of the patient experience that might otherwise go undetected. The success of these initiatives, he argues, relies on changing the way data is captured and used, ultimately aiming to improve patient care and operational efficiency in healthcare settings. Furthermore, he notes that using electronic health record (EHR) data to measure clinical outcomes is crucial for sustainable healthcare growth and enhancing patient engagement.