Using patient-reported outcomes and PROMIS in research and clinical applications: experiences from the PCORI pilot projects

Changes in prospectively collected patient-reported outcomes among women with incident endometrial cancer

PURPOSE

We examined associations between patient and treatment characteristics with longitudinally collected patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures to provide a data-informed description of the experiences of women undergoing treatment for endometrial cancer.

METHODS

We administered National Institutes of Health Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) questionnaires at the preoperative visit and at 6 and 12 months after surgery. Anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, pain, physical function, and ability to participate in social roles were assessed. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and linear mixed models were used to examine associations between patient characteristics and PRO measures at baseline and through time.

RESULTS

Of 187 women enrolled, 174 (93%) and 103 (69%) completed the 6- and 12-month questionnaires, respectively. Anxiety was substantially elevated at baseline (half of one population-level standard deviation) and returned to general population mean levels at 6 and 12 months. Younger age, Medicaid/None/Self-pay insurance, prevalent diabetes, and current smoking were associated with higher symptom burden on multiple PRO measures across the three time points. Women with aggressive histology, higher disease stage, or those with adjuvant treatment had worse fatigue at 6 months, which normalized by 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a high symptom burden at endometrial cancer diagnosis, with most PRO measures returning to general population means by 1 year. Information on risk factor-PRO associations can be used during the clinical visit to inform supportive service referral.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

These findings can inform clinicians' discussions with endometrial cancer survivors regarding expected symptom trajectory following diagnosis and treatment.

Patient Reported Outcome and Experience Measures (PROMs and PREMs) in substance use disorder treatment services: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Substance use disorders (SUD) pose significant challenges for healthcare systems, and there is a need to monitor the provision of effective, individualized care to persons accessing treatment. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) and Patient-Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) are increasingly used in healthcare services to measure treatment outcomes and quality of care as perceived by patients, and to guide service improvement.

OBJECTIVES

This review aims to identify and characterize international developments regarding the use and systematic implementation of PROMs and PREMs in SUD treatment services.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted searching multiple databases to identify studies on the use and routine implementation of PROMs and PREMs in SUD treatment services.

RESULTS

23 articles were selected, all dating from 2016 onwards. There was large variation in the patient-reported measures that were used, how they were developed and how and when patient-reported data were collected. Treatment providers identified leadership support, the presence of an integrated electronic patient record, and regular feedback to be the most important facilitators of successful implementation of patient-reported measures into clinical practice, whilst treatment dropout and burden to staff and patients were the most important barriers to consider.

CONCLUSIONS

PROMs and PREMs are increasingly used in SUD treatment services, but guidance is needed to support researchers and clinicians in selecting and implementing valid, meaningful, and comparable measures if we want to understand the effects of PROM and PREM data collection and feedback on treatment quality and results.

Integrating PROMIS Measures in a Treat-to-Target Approach to Standardize Patient-Centered Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of a patient-centered rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treat-to-target (T2T) disease management approach on patient outcomes and patient satisfaction with care.

METHODS

In this longitudinal, observational pilot study, rheumatologists implemented a modified T2T approach that integrated Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures for depression, fatigue, pain interference, physical function, and social function into RA care. Study participants selected 1 PROMIS domain to target treatment and completed quarterly follow-up assessments. Participants were classified as improved if their Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) changed by > 5 points. Change in PROMIS t scores was examined for the group with improved CDAI, and then compared to those with unchanged or worsened CDAI. Satisfaction with care was assessed using multiple measures, including the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Treatment Satisfaction-Patient Satisfaction Scale.

RESULTS

The analytical sample (n = 119, median age 57 years, 90.8% female) was split between those with CDAI > 10 (n = 63) and CDAI ≤ 10 (n = 53). At 1 year, there was improvement in CDAI by > 5 points in 66% and 13% of individuals with baseline CDAI > 10 and baseline CDAI ≤ 10, respectively. Across all participants, improvement in CDAI by > 5 points correlated with improvements in the 5 PROMIS domains. Satisfaction with RA treatment also increased.

CONCLUSION

The integration of PROMIS measures into the T2T approach for RA care was associated with improvements in disease activity, and improvement in disease activity was associated with improvements in PROMIS measures.

Capacity-Building for Collecting Patient-Reported Outcomes and Experiences (PRO) Data Across Hospitals

PURPOSE

Patient-reported outcomes and experiences (PRO) data are an integral component of health care quality measurement and PROs are now being collected by many healthcare systems. However, hospital organizational capacity-building for the collection and sharing of PROs is a complex process. We sought to identify the factors that facilitated capacity-building for PRO data collection in a nascent quality improvement learning collaborative of 16 hospitals that has the goal of improving the childbirth experience.

DESCRIPTION

We used standard qualitative case study methodologies based on a conceptual framework that hypothesizes that adequate organizational incentives and capacities allow successful achievement of project milestones in a collaborative setting. The 4 project milestones considered in this study were: (1) Agreements; (2) System Design; (3) System Development and Operations; and (4) Implementation. To evaluate the success of reaching each milestone, critical incidents were logged and tracked to determine the capacities and incentives needed to resolve them.

ASSESSMENT

The pace of the implementation of PRO data collection through the 4 milestones was uneven across hospitals and largely dependent on limited hospital capacities in the following 8 dimensions: (1) Incentives; (2) Leadership; (3) Policies; (4) Operating systems; (5) Information technology; (6) Legal aspects; (7) Cross-hospital collaboration; and (8) Patient engagement. From this case study, a trajectory for capacity-building in each dimension is discussed.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of PRO data collection in a quality improvement learning collaborative was dependent on multiple organizational capacities for the achievement of project milestones.

The Association of Learning Health System Practicing Hospitals and other Health Information Interested Hospitals with Patient-Generated Health Data Uptake

Patient generated health data (PGHD) has been described as a necessary addition to provider-generated information for improving care processes in US hospitals. This study evaluated the distribution of Health Information Interested (HII) US hospitals that are more likely to capture or use PGHD. The literature suggests that HII hospitals are more likely to capture and use PGHD. Cross-sectional analysis of the 2018 American Hospital Association's (AHA) health-IT-supplement and other supporting datasets showed that HII hospitals collectively and majority of HII hospital subcategories evaluated were associated with increased PGHD capture and use. The full Learning Health System (LHS) hospital subcategory had the highest association and hospitals in the meaningful use stage three compliant (MU3) and PCORI funded subcategory also had higher rates of PGHD capture or use when in combination with LHS hospitals. Hence, being LHS appears to be the strongest practice and policy lever to increase PGHD capture and use.

"Black People Like Me": A virtual conference series to engage underserved patients with asthma in patient centered outcomes research

BACKGROUND

In response to racial inequity in asthma, asthma-related research among diverse patients is vital. However, people from historically marginalized groups are underrepresented in clinical and patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR). The "Black People Like Me" (BPLM) virtual conference series was developed to: (1) engage Black patients with asthma and their caregivers in education and discussions about asthma, and (2) encourage involvement in PCOR. Education about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination was also incorporated.

METHODS

The Project Advisory Group consisting of Black patients, clergy, physicians, and a program evaluator met monthly to develop BPLM. The program consisted of free one-hour virtual sessions held monthly for 6 months. BPLM was promoted through the Allergy & Asthma Network website, emails, social media, and personal contacts with a recruitment goal of ≥ 100 Black patients with asthma or caregivers. Program evaluations, interactive polling questions during each session, and participant pre- and post-session tests were conducted.

RESULTS

Sessions averaged 658 participants including Black patients, family members, caregivers, Black clergy, health care providers, and other concerned community. Overall, 77% of participants strongly agreed with satisfaction with the sessions. Pre- and post-tests demonstrated that participants exhibited growth in knowledge regarding asthma risk, PCOR, and PCOR research opportunities for patients, exhibited preexisting and sustained knowledge regarding COVID-19 vaccination and side effects, and demonstrated an increased sense of empowerment during healthcare visits.

CONCLUSIONS

BPLM demonstrated that a virtual platform can successfully engage Black communities. Incorporating clergy and religious organizations was critical in developing the trust of the Black community towards BPLM.

Establishing severity levels for patient-reported measures of functional communication, participation, and perceived cognitive function for adults with acquired cognitive and language disorders

PURPOSE

To empirically assign severity levels (e.g., mild, moderate) to four relatively new patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for adults with acquired cognitive/language disorders. They include the Communicative Participation Item Bank, the Aphasia Communication Outcome Measure, and Neuro-QoL's item banks of Cognitive Function (v2.0) and Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities (v1.0).

METHOD

We conducted 17 focus groups that comprised 22 adults with an acquired cognitive/language disorder from stroke, Parkinson's disease, or traumatic brain injury; 30 care partners of an adult with an acquired cognitive/language disorder; and 42 speech-language pathologists who had experience assessing/treating individuals with those and other cognitive/language disorders. In a small, moderated focus-group format, participants completed "PROM-bookmarking" procedures: They discussed hypothetical vignettes based on PROM item responses about people with cognitive/language disorders and had to reach consensus regarding whether their symptoms/function should be categorized as within normal limits or mild, moderate, or severe challenges.

RESULTS

There was generally good agreement among the stakeholder groups about how to classify vignettes, particularly when they reflected very high or low functioning. People with aphasia described a larger range of functional communication challenges as "mild" compared to other stakeholder types. Based on a consensus across groups, we present severity levels for specific score ranges for each PROM.

CONCLUSION

Standardized, stakeholder-informed severity levels that aid interpretation of PROM scores can help clinicians and researchers derive better clinical meaning from those scores, for example, by identifying important clinical windows of opportunity and assessing when symptoms have returned to a "normal" range.

Development of a set of patient reported outcome measures for patients with benign liver tumours and cysts: patient focus groups and systematic review

BACKGROUND

Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) may be useful for patients with benign liver tumours and cysts (BLTC) to evaluate the impact of treatment and/or guide shared decision making. Yet, a set of PROMs relevant to patients with BLTC is currently unavailable. In this study, we selected a PROMs set for patients with BLTC.

METHODS

Potentially relevant patient reported outcomes (PROs) were selected by psychologist-researchers based on keywords used or suggested by participants of two virtual focus groups meetings consisting of thirteen female BLTC patients with a median age of 50 years. Subsequently, patients were asked to report their most relevant PROs. PROMs identified by systematic literature review and computerized adaptive tests (CATs) in the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) were considered in selecting the final PROMs set to assess relevant outcomes.

RESULTS

The most important PROs were: insecurity/anxiety (11/12 patients), pain (9/12 patients), fatigue (8/12 patients), and limitations in daily life (5/12 patients). The literature review included 23 studies, which used various generic and disease-specific PROMs, often not measuring (all) relevant PROs. The final selected PROMs set included numerical rating scales for pain, two questions on overall health and quality of life and four PROMIS CATs.

CONCLUSIONS

A PROMs set generically and efficiently measuring outcomes relevant for patients with BLTC was developed and may be used in future research and clinical practice.

Patient-reported outcome measures as an outcome variable in sports medicine research

Injury prevention and rehabilitation research often address variables that would be considered clinician-oriented outcomes, such as strength, range of motion, laxity, and return-to-sport. While clinician-oriented variables are helpful in describing the physiological recovery from injury, they neglect the patient perspective and aspects of patient-centered care. Variables that capture patient perspective are essential when considering the impact of injury and recovery on the lives of patients. The inclusion of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) as dependent variables in sports medicine research, including injury prevention and rehabilitation research, provides a unique perspective regarding the patient's perception of their health status, the effectiveness of treatments, and other information that the patient deems important to their care. Over the last 20 years, there has been a significant increase in the use of PROMs in sports medicine research. The growing body of work gives opportunity to reflect on what has been done and to provide some ideas of how to strengthen the evidence moving forward. This mini-review will discuss ideas for the inclusion of PROMs in sports medicine research, with a focus on critical factors, gaps, and future directions in this area of research. Important elements of research with PROMs, including instrument selection, administration, and interpretation, will be discussed and areas for improvement, consideration, and standardization will be provided.

The development and initial validation of the PROMIS®+HF-27 and PROMIS+HF-10 profiles

AIMS

Heart failure (HF) is a common and morbid condition impacting multiple health domains. We previously reported the development of the PROMIS®-Plus-HF (PROMIS+HF) profile measure, including universal and HF-specific items. To facilitate use, we developed shorter, PROMIS+HF profiles intended for research and clinical use.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Candidate items were selected based on psychometric properties and symptom range coverage. HF clinicians (n = 43) rated item importance and clinical actionability. Based on these results, we developed the PROMIS+HF-27 and PROMIS+HF-10 profiles with summary scores (0-100) for overall, physical, mental, and social health. In a cross-sectional sample (n = 600), we measured internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha and Spearman-Brown), test-retest reliability (intraclass coefficient; n = 100), known-groups validity via New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, and convergent validity with Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) scores. In a longitudinal sample (n = 75), we evaluated responsiveness of baseline/follow-up scores by calculating mean differences and Cohen's d and comparing with paired t-tests. Internal consistency was good to excellent (α 0.82-0.94) for all PROMIS+HF-27 scores and acceptable to good (α/Spearman-Brown 0.60-0.85) for PROMIS+HF-10 scores. Test-retest intraclass coefficients were acceptable to excellent (0.75-0.97). Both profiles demonstrated known-groups validity for the overall and physical health summary scores based on NYHA class, and convergent validity for nearly all scores compared with KCCQ scores. In the longitudinal sample, we demonstrated responsiveness for PROMIS+HF-27 and PROMIS+HF-10 overall and physical summary scores. For the PROMIS+HF overall summary scores, a group-based increase of 7.6-8.3 points represented a small to medium change (Cohen's d = 0.40-0.42). For the PROMIS+HF physical summary scores, a group-based increase of 5.0-5.9 points represented a small to medium change (Cohen's d = 0.29-0.35).

CONCLUSIONS

The PROMIS+HF-27 and PROMIS+HF-10 profiles demonstrated good psychometric characteristics with evidence of responsiveness for overall and physical health. These new measures can facilitate patient-centred research and clinical care, such as improving care quality through symptom monitoring, facilitating shared decision-making, evaluating quality of care, assessing new interventions, and monitoring during the initiation and titration of guideline-directed medical therapy.

The Evolution and Typology of Learning Health System Hospitals and other Health Information Interested Hospitals in the US

This study identifies the type, distribution, and interactions of US hospitals that identify as electronic-data-driven, patient-centric, and learning-focused. Such facilities, termed Health Information Interested (HII) hospitals in this study, meet the defining criteria for one or more of the following designations: learning health systems (LHS), Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) meaningful use stage three compliant (MU3), Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funded, or medical home/safety net (MH/SN) hospital. The American Hospital Association (AHA) IT supplemental survey and other supporting data spanning 2013 to 2018 were used to identify HII hospitals. HII hospitals increased from 19.9 percent to 62.4 percent of AHA reporting hospitals from 2013 to 2018. HII subcategories in 2018 such as the full LHS (37.2 percent) and MU3 (46.9 percent) were dominant, with 33.2 percent having both designations. This indicates increased interest in patient-centric, learning-focused care using electronic health data. This information can enable health information management (HIM) professionals to be aware of programs or approaches that can facilitate learning-focused, patient-centric care using electronic health data within health systems.

Validity and reliability of patient reported outcomes measurement information system computerized adaptive tests in systemic lupus erythematous

BACKGROUND

The evaluation of Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computerized adaptive test (CAT) in adults with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is an emerging field of research. We aimed to examine the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the PROMIS CAT in a Canadian cohort of patients with SLE.

METHODS

Two hundred twenty-seven patients completed 14 domains of PROMIS CAT and seven legacy instruments during their clinical visits. Test-retest reliability of PROMIS was evaluated 7-10 days from baseline using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC (2; 1)). The construct validity of the PROMIS CAT domains was evaluated against the commonly used legacy instruments, and also in comparison to disease activity and disease damage using Spearman correlations. A multitrait-multimethod matrix (MMM) approach was used to further assess construct validity comparing selected 10 domains of PROMIS and SF-36 domains.

RESULTS

Moderate to excellent reliability was found for all domains (ICC [2;1] ranging from lowest, 0.66 for Sleep Disturbance and highest, 0.93 for the Mobility domain). Comparing seven legacy instruments with 14 domains of PROMIS CAT, moderate to strong correlations (0.51-0.91) were identified. The average time to complete all PROMIS CAT domains was 11.7 min. The MMM further established construct validity by showing moderate to strong correlations (0.55-0.87) between select PROMIS and SF-36 domains; the average correlations from similar traits (convergent validity) were significantly greater than the average correlations from different traits.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide evidence on the reliability and validity of PROMIS CAT in SLE in a Canadian cohort.

Adapting a Patient-Reported Outcome Bookmarking Task to be Accessible to Adults With Cognitive and Language Disorders

Background Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures produce scores that do not always have obvious clinical meaning. The PRO-bookmarking procedure is a new and promising way to make PRO measures more meaningful and interpretable. However, the materials and procedures of the task may benefit from adaptations to be more accessible to individuals with cognitive and language disorders. Aims This study aims to provide an overview of the iterative refinement process used to modify the materials and procedures of the PRO-bookmarking task so that they are more accessible to adults with acquired cognitive and language impairments. Method and Procedures Our team of health psychologists, neuropsychologists, and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) conducted two focus groups with SLPs and care partners of people with aphasia using the same PRO-bookmarking materials and procedures as previous reports. These PRO-bookmarking materials and procedures were then refined iteratively based on discussion with those who participated in focus groups and among the research team, and three more times in the course of 16 additional focus groups of different stakeholders: people with Parkinson's disease, aphasia, or traumatic brain injury; care partners of people with those conditions; and SLPs who have experience with those, and other adult-acquired conditions. Outcomes and Results The PRO-bookmarking materials and procedures underwent four iterations to make them clearer, simpler, and more accessible. For example, the materials included more structured text and graphic supports where appropriate and the procedures were clustered into smaller discrete tasks and displayed graphically when possible and appropriate. Conclusions PRO-bookmarking materials and procedures were made simpler and more structured to increase their accessibility to adults with cognitive and language impairments. In fact, these adaptations made the tasks simpler and clearer for all types of stakeholders.

Patients and clinicians define symptom levels and meaningful change for PROMIS pain interference and fatigue in RA using bookmarking

OBJECTIVES

Using patient-reported outcomes to inform clinical decision-making depends on knowing how to interpret scores. Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) instruments are increasingly used in rheumatology research and care, but there is little information available to guide interpretation of scores. We sought to identify thresholds and meaningful change for PROMIS Pain Interference and Fatigue scores from the perspective of RA patients and clinicians.

METHODS

We developed patient vignettes using the PROMIS item banks representing a continuum of Pain Interference and Fatigue levels. During a series of face-to-face 'bookmarking' sessions, patients and clinicians identified thresholds for mild, moderate and severe levels of symptoms and identified change deemed meaningful for making treatment decisions.

RESULTS

In general, patients selected higher cut points to demarcate thresholds than clinicians. Patients and clinicians generally identified changes of 5-10 points as representing meaningful change. The thresholds and meaningful change scores of patients were grounded in their lived experiences having RA, approach to self-management, and the impacts on function, roles and social participation.

CONCLUSION

Results offer new information about how both patients and clinicians view RA symptoms and functional impacts. Results suggest that patients and providers may use different strategies to define and interpret RA symptoms, and select different thresholds when describing symptoms as mild, moderate or severe. The magnitude of symptom change selected by patients and clinicians as being clinically meaningful in interpreting treatment efficacy and loss of response may be greater than levels determined by external anchor and statistical methods.

Enabling qualitative research data sharing using a natural language processing pipeline for deidentification: moving beyond HIPAA Safe Harbor identifiers

Objective

Sharing health research data is essential for accelerating the translation of research into actionable knowledge that can impact health care services and outcomes. Qualitative health research data are rarely shared due to the challenge of deidentifying text and the potential risks of participant reidentification. Here, we establish and evaluate a framework for deidentifying qualitative research data using automated computational techniques including removal of identifiers that are not considered HIPAA Safe Harbor (HSH) identifiers but are likely to be found in unstructured qualitative data.

Materials and Methods

We developed and validated a pipeline for deidentifying qualitative research data using automated computational techniques. An in-depth analysis and qualitative review of different types of qualitative health research data were conducted to inform and evaluate the development of a natural language processing (NLP) pipeline using named-entity recognition, pattern matching, dictionary, and regular expression methods to deidentify qualitative texts.

Results

We collected 2 datasets with 1.2 million words derived from over 400 qualitative research data documents. We created a gold-standard dataset with 280K words (70 files) to evaluate our deidentification pipeline. The majority of identifiers in qualitative data are non-HSH and not captured by existing systems. Our NLP deidentification pipeline had a consistent F1-score of ∼0.90 for both datasets.

Conclusion

The results of this study demonstrate that NLP methods can be used to identify both HSH identifiers and non-HSH identifiers. Automated tools to assist researchers with the deidentification of qualitative data will be increasingly important given the new National Institutes of Health (NIH) data-sharing mandate.

How Does the Canadian Acute Respiratory Illness and Flu Scale Relate to Other Scales in Pediatric Asthma Exacerbations?

Objectives: In children with asthma exacerbations, we evaluated the relationship between Canadian Acute Respiratory Illness and Flu Scale (CARIFS) scores and (a) Asthma Diary Scale (ADS) scores for 14 days; (b) Pediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of Life (QoL) Questionnaire (PACQLQ) scores on days 1, 7 and 14; (c) viral detection. We hypothesized that in children with acute asthma, CARIFS scores correlate with ADS and PACQLQ scores over time and that viruses have little impact on CARIFS scores.Methods: In children aged 2-16 years who presented with acute asthma to the Emergency Departments of 2 hospitals, we documented the clinical history, examination, asthma severity at baseline and on presentation. Eighteen respiratory pathogens were determined by PCR on nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) collected on recruitment. The parent(s) recorded their child's daily CARIFS and ADS and weekly PACQLQ for 14 days. We used Spearman's correlation to relate the scores of 108 children.Results: CARIFS scores correlated well with ADS scores throughout 14 days (r_s ranged 0.30-0.67). CARIFS and PACQLQ scores correlated -0.28, -0.14 and -0.44 on days 1, 7 and 14 respectively. There was no significant difference in CARIFS scores between children whose NPAs were PCR virus-positive or -negative over 14 days.Conclusions: CARIFS and ADS scores correlated well as a disease severity measure during the recovery period in children with acute asthma and this was not influenced by the virus state. The ADS may be used as an alternative in selected situations. The CARIFS reflects different aspects to acute asthma severity and QoL.

Clinical Use of PROMIS, Neuro-QoL, TBI-QoL, and Other Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Individual Adult Clients with Cognitive and Language Disorders

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) assess health outcomes from the patient's perspective. The National Institutes of Health has invested in the creation of numerous PROMs that comprise the PROMIS, Neuro-QoL, and TBI-QoL measurement systems. Some of these PROMs are potentially useful as primary or secondary outcome measures, or as contextual variables for the treatment of adults with cognitive/language disorders. These PROMs were primarily created for clinical research and interpretation of group means. They also have potential for use with individual clients; however, at present there is only sparse evidence and direction for this application of PROMs. Previous research by Cohen and Hula (2020) described how PROMs could support evidence-based practices in speech-language pathology. This companion article extends upon that work to present clinicians with implementation information about obtaining, administering, scoring, and interpreting PROMs for individual clients with cognitive/language disorders. This includes considerations of the type and extent of communication support that is appropriate, implications of the relatively large measurement error that accompanies individual scores and pairs of scores, and recommendations for applying minimal detectable change values depending on the clinician's desired level of measurement precision. However, more research is needed to guide the interpretation of PROM scores for an individual client.

Determinants of cough and caregivers' quality of life in pediatric asthma exacerbations

OBJECTIVES

In hospitalized and nonhospitalized children with asthma exacerbations, we evaluated the determinants of (a) prolonged cough on day-14 and (b) asthma quality of life (QoL) questionnaires for parents (PACQLQ) on day-21. We hypothesized that children with more severe acute asthma are more likely to have prolonged cough and/or poorer PACQLQ during the recovery phase.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study performed during 2009-2011.

METHODOLOGY

Two hundred and forty-four children aged 2-16 years presenting with acute asthma to the Emergency Departments of two hospitals were recruited. Clinical history, examination, baseline asthma severity, and acute asthma severity on presentation were documented. Validated daily cough diaries and weekly PACQLQ were recorded for 14 and 21 days, respectively.

RESULTS

34.4% and 32.2% of children who returned the daytime and nighttime cough diaries respectively had a prolonged cough. Those on regular inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) were significantly more likely to have a daytime or nighttime cough score of ≥1 on day-14 (odds ratio [OR_adjusted ] = 4.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.65, 13.35, p = .004 and OR_adjusted  = 2.65, 95% CI 1.05, 6.69, p = .040, respectively). PACQLQ on day-21 was significantly poorer in younger children (mean difference [MD] = -0.04 per year, 95% CI -0.08, -0.01, p = .016), those on ICS (MD = -0.31, 95% CI -0.52, -0.09, p = .005), leukotriene antagonists (MD = -0.42, 95% CI -0.83, -0.02, p = .040) and in those who had an unplanned visit for asthma on day-21 (MD = -1.20, 95% CI -1.61, -0.78, p = .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Post an acute asthma exacerbation, children on regular ICS were more likely to have prolonged cough and poorer QoL. While this may be reflective of asthma severity or control, its association deserves further evaluation.

Technological developments enable measuring and using patient-reported outcomes data in orthopaedic clinical practice

Patient-reported outcomes measures form the backbone of outcomes evaluation in orthopaedics, with most of the literature now relying on these scoring tools to measure change in patient health status. This patient-reported information is increasingly collected routinely by orthopaedic providers but use of the data is typically restricted to academic research. Developments in electronic data capture and the outcome tools themselves now allow use of this data as part of the clinical consultation. This review evaluates the role of patient reported outcomes data as a tool to enhance daily orthopaedic clinical practice, and documents how develop-ments in electronic outcome measures, computer-adaptive questionnaire design and instant graphical display of questionnaire can facilitate enhanced patient-clinician shared decision making.

First Validation of the Full PROMIS Pain Interference and Pain Behavior Item Banks in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

OBJECTIVE

Pain interference and pain behavior are highly relevant outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is a universally applicable set of item banks measuring patient-reported health, and if applied as computerized adaptive tests (CATs), more efficiently and precisely than current instruments. The objective was to study the psychometric properties of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS pain interference (PROMIS-PI) and the PROMIS pain behavior (PROMIS-PB) item banks in patients with RA.

METHODS

A total of 2,029 patients with RA completed the full PROMIS-PI (version 1.1, 40 items), and 1,554 patients completed the full PROMIS-PB (version 1.1, 39 items). The following psychometric properties were studied: unidimensionality, local dependence, monotonicity and graded response model (GRM) fit, cross-cultural validity (differential item functioning [DIF] for language [Dutch versus Flemish]), other forms of measurement invariance, construct validity, reliability, and floor and ceiling effects.

RESULTS

The PROMIS-PI and PROMIS-PB banks were sufficiently unidimensional (Omega-hierarchical [Omega-H] 0.99, 0.95, and explained common variance 0.95, 0.78, respectively), had negligible local dependence (0.3-1.4% of item pairs), good monotonicity (H 0.75, 0.46), and a good GRM model fit (no misfitting items). Furthermore, both item banks showed good cross-cultural validity (no DIF for language), measurement invariance (no DIF for age, sex, administration mode, and disease activity), good construct validity (all hypotheses met), high reliability (>0.90 in the range of patients with RA), and an absence of floor and ceiling effects (0% minimum or maximum score, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Both PROMIS-PI and PROMIS-PB banks showed good psychometric properties in patients with RA and can be used as CATs in research and clinical practice.

Identifying Minimal and Meaningful Change in PROMIS® for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Use of Multiple Methods and Perspectives

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is chronic, painful, disabling condition resulting in significant impairments in physical, emotional, and social health. We used different methods and perspectives to evaluate the responsiveness of PROMIS® short forms (SFs) and identify minimal and meaningful score changes.

METHODS

Adults with RA enrolled in a multi-site prospective observational cohort completed PROMIS Physical Function, Pain Interference, Fatigue, Participation in Social Roles/Activities SFs, PROMIS-29, and pain, patient global, and rated change in specific symptoms and RA (a little vs. lot better or worse) at the second visit. Physicians recorded joint counts, MD Global Assessment, and change in RA at visit 2. We compared mean score differences for minimal and meaningful improvement/worsening using patient and MD change ratings and distribution-based methods, and visually inspected empirical cumulative distribution function curves by change categories.

RESULTS

The 348 adults were mostly (81%) female with longstanding RA. Using patient ratings, generally 1-3 point differences were observed for minimal change and 3-7 points for meaningful change. Larger differences were observed with patient vs. physician ratings and for symptom-specific vs. RA change. Mean differences were similar among SF versions. Prespecified hypotheses about change in PROMIS Physical Function, Pain Interference, Fatigue and Participation and legacy scales were supported.

CONCLUSIONS

PROMIS SFs and the PROMIS-29 Profile are responsive to change and generally distinguish between minimal and meaningful improvement and worsening in key RA domains. These data add to a growing body of evidence demonstrating robust psychometric properties of PROMIS and supporting use in RA care, research, and decision-making.

Protocol for development, calibration and validation of the Patient-Reported Inventory of Self-Management of Chronic Conditions (PRISM-CC)

INTRODUCTION

Assessing and measuring patients' chronic condition self-management needs are critical to quality health care and to related research. One in three adults around the world live with multiple chronic conditions. While many patient-reported measures of self-management have been developed, none has emerged as the gold standard, and all have one or more of the following limitations: (1) they fail to measure the different domains of self-management important to patients, (2) they lack sufficient specificity to support patient-centred care or identify the specific components of self-management interventions that work and/or (3) they lack suitability for patients with multiple chronic conditions.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The Patient-Reported Inventory of Self-Management of Chronic Conditions (PRISM-CC) is being developed to overcome these shortcomings. It will measure respondents' perceived success (or difficulty) in self-managing seven domains important to patients. The protocol has three phases. Phase 1 is conceptual model development and item generation. Phase 2 is assessment of the relevance and understanding of items by people with chronic conditions. Phase 3 is item analysis, dimensionality assessment, scaling and preliminary validation of the PRISM-CC using an online survey of people with chronic conditions (n~750). The expected completion date is early 2021.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study will adhere to the Canadian Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans. Ethics approval for all phases has been obtained from the Nova Scotia Health Authority Research Ethics Board. Once completed, the PRISM-CC will be made available for research and healthcare at minimal to no cost.

Patient-reported outcomes in RA care improve patient communication, decision-making, satisfaction and confidence: qualitative results

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of integrating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) into routine clinics, from the perspective of patients with RA, clinicians and other staff.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study using a mixed methods sequential explanatory design at an academic arthritis clinic. RA patients completed selected Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System measures on tablets in the waiting room. Results were immediately available to discuss during the visit. Post-visit surveys with patients and physicians evaluated topics discussed and their impact on decision making; patients rated confidence in treatment. Focus groups or interviews with patients, treating rheumatologists and clinic staff were conducted to understand perspectives and experiences.

RESULTS

Some 196 patients and 20 rheumatologists completed post-visit surveys at 816 and 806 visits, respectively. Focus groups were conducted with 24 patients, 10 rheumatologists and 4 research/clinic staff. PROs influenced medical decision-making and RA treatment changes (38 and 18% of visits, respectively). Patients reported very high satisfaction and treatment confidence. Impact on clinical workflow was minimal after a period of initial adjustment. PROs were valued by patients and physicians, and provided new insight into how patients felt and functioned over time. Reviewing results together improved communication, and facilitated patient-centred care, shared decision making, and the identification of new symptoms and contributing psychosocial/behavioural factors.

CONCLUSION

PRO use at RA visits was feasible, increased understanding of how disease affects how patients feel and function, facilitated shared decision-making, and was associated with high patient satisfaction and treatment confidence.

The Effect of Advance Care Planning on Heart Failure: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Advance care planning is widely advocated to improve outcomes in end-of-life care for patients suffering from heart failure. But until now, there has been no systematic evaluation of the impact of advance care planning (ACP) on clinical outcomes. Our aim was to determine the effect of ACP in heart failure through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

METHODS

We searched CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, ERIC, Ovid MEDLINE, Science Citation Index and PsycINFO (inception to July 2018). We selected RCTs including adult patients with heart failure treated in a hospital, hospice or community setting. Three reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, assessed the risk of bias (Cochrane risk of bias tool) and evaluated the quality of evidence (GRADE tool) and analysed interventions according to the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR). We calculated standardized mean differences (SMD) in random effects models for pooled effects using the generic inverse variance method.

RESULTS

Fourteen RCTs including 2924 participants met all of the inclusion criteria. There was a moderate effect in favour of ACP for quality of life (SMD, 0.38; 95% CI [0.09 to 0.68]), patients' satisfaction with end-of-life care (SMD, 0.39; 95% CI [0.14 to 0.64]) and the quality of end-of-life communication (SMD, 0.29; 95% CI [0.17 to 0.42]) for patients suffering from heart failure. ACP seemed most effective if it was introduced at significant milestones in a patient's disease trajectory, included family members, involved follow-up appointments and considered ethnic preferences. Several sensitivity analyses confirmed the statistically significant direction of effect. Heterogeneity was mainly due to different study settings, length of follow-up periods and compositions of ACP.

CONCLUSIONS

ACP improved quality of life, patient satisfaction with end-of-life care and the quality of end-of-life communication for patients suffering from heart failure and could be most effective when the right timing, follow-up and involvement of important others was considered.

Study protocol for IMAGE: implementing multidisciplinary assessments for geriatric patients in an emergency department observation unit, a hybrid effectiveness/implementation study using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research

BACKGROUND

Older adults in the emergency department (ED) are at high risk for functional decline, unrecognized delirium, falls, and medication interactions. Holistic assessment by a multidisciplinary team in the ED decreases these adverse outcomes and decreases admissions, but there are many barriers to incorporating this type of care during the ED visit.

METHODS

This is a hybrid type II effectiveness-implementation study using a pre-/post-cohort design (n = 380) at a tertiary care academic ED with an ED observation unit (Obs Unit). The intervention is a two-step protocol of (step 1) ED nurses screening adult patients ≥ 65 years old for geriatric needs using the Delirium Triage Screen, 4-Stage Balance Test, and the Identifying Seniors at Risk score. Patients who have geriatric needs identified by this screening but who do not meet hospital admission criteria will (step 2) be placed in the Obs Unit for multidisciplinary geriatric assessment by the hospital's geriatric consultation team, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, and/or case managers. Not all patients may require all elements of the multidisciplinary geriatric assessment. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research: Care Transitions Framework was used to identify barriers to implementation. Lean Six Sigma processes will be used to overcome these identified barriers with the goal of achieving geriatric screening rates of > 80%. Implementation success and associated factors will be reported. For the effectiveness aim, pre-/post-cohorts of adults ≥ 65 years old cared for in the Obs Unit will be followed for 90 days post-ED visit (n = 150 pre and 230 post). The primary outcome is the prevention of functional decline. Secondary outcomes include health-related quality of life, new geriatric syndromes identified, new services provided, and Obs Unit metrics such as length of stay and admission rates.

DISCUSSION

A protocol for implementing integrated multidisciplinary geriatric assessment into the ED setting has the potential to improve patient functional status by identifying and addressing geriatric issues and needs prior to discharge from the ED. Using validated frameworks and implementation strategies will increase our understanding of how to improve the quality of ED care for older adults in the acute care setting.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier, NCT04068311, registered 28 August 2019.

Patient-Reported Outcomes and Evidence-Based Practice in Speech-Language Pathology

Purpose The patient's perspective of their health is a core component of evidence-based practice (EBP) and person-centered care. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), captured with PRO measures (PROMs), are the main way of formally soliciting and measuring the patient's perspective. Currently, however, PROs play a relatively small role in mainstream speech-language pathology practice. The purpose of this article is to raise important questions about how PROs could be applied to EBP in speech-language pathology for individuals with communication disorders and to propose preliminary approaches to address some of these questions. Method Based on a narrative review of the literature, this article introduces relevant terminology and broadly describes PRO applications in other health care fields. The article also raises questions related to PRO-informed clinical practice in speech-language pathology. To address some of these questions, the article explores previous research to provide suggestions for clinical administration, interpretation, and future research. Conclusion More routine measurement of subjective health constructs via PROMs-for example, constructs such as effort, participation, self-efficacy, and psychosocial functioning-may improve EBP. More routine use of PROMs could significantly expand the information that is available to clinicians about individual clients and add to the evidence base for the profession of speech-language pathology. However, careful consideration and more research are needed on how to capture and interpret PROs from individuals with cognitive and language disorders.

Responsiveness of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Measures in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Starting or Switching a Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug

OBJECTIVE

The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is a calibrated item bank used to assess patient-reported outcomes across multiple domains. The purpose of this study was to describe the performance of selected PROMIS measures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with active disease who were initiating a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD).

METHODS

Participants in an ongoing prospective observational study completed 8 PROMIS measures before and after DMARD initiation. Linear regression models were performed to identify cross-sectional associations between baseline PROMIS measures and disease activity, measured using the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI). Paired t-tests were performed to evaluate responsiveness after 12 weeks of DMARD treatment. Associations between changes in PROMIS measures and changes in the CDAI score were assessed using linear regression.

RESULTS

Among the 156 participants who completed the first study visit, the mean ± SD baseline CDAI score was 25.5 ± 14.0. Baseline scores for PROMIS measures of physical health, pain, and sleep were associated with the baseline CDAI score (P ≤ 0.05). Among the 106 participants with 12-week data, all PROMIS scores improved after DMARD initiation (P ≤ 0.05). With the exception of depression, changes in all assessed PROMIS measures were correlated with changes in the CDAI score (standardized βs from |0.23| to |0.38|).

CONCLUSION

These data provide support for the utility of PROMIS measures for the assessment of physical and mental health in individuals with active RA. All PROMIS measures improved significantly after DMARD initiation, with the magnitudes of association between changes in PROMIS measures and changes in the CDAI score in the low-to-moderate range.

Patient-centered Outcomes Research in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report

Patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) represents a paradigm shift in research methods aimed to create the body of evidence that supports clinical practice and informs health care decisions. PCOR integrates patients and other key stakeholders including family members, policy makers, clinicians, and patient advocates and advocacy groups as research partners throughout all stages of the research process. The importance of PCOR has received increased recognition, yet there is little evidence available to help guide researchers interested in the design and conduct of PCOR. In May 2014, we convened a workshop to identify key issues related to designing, conducting, and disseminating findings from PCOR studies. Workshop participants included a diverse group of patients, patient advocates, clinicians (physicians, nurses, psychologists, and advanced practice providers), researchers, administrators, and funders within and beyond the pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine communities. Participants identified important issues and considerations to address when undertaking PCOR. In this report, we summarize the results of this workshop to inform members of the pulmonary, sleep, and critical care community interested in participating in PCOR. Key findings include the following: 1) requirements for research to be considered PCOR; 2) the potential significant impact of PCOR on patients, clinicians, and researchers; 3) guiding principles and practical strategies to form successful patient-centered research partnerships, conduct PCOR, and disseminate study results to a broad audience of stakeholders; 4) benefits and challenges of PCOR for researchers; and 5) resources available within the American Thoracic Society to help with the conduct of PCOR.

Advancing Stiffness Measurement in Rheumatic Disease: Report from the Stiffness Special Interest Group at OMERACT 2018

OBJECTIVE

To improve measurement of stiffness in rheumatic disease.

METHODS

Data presented included (1) 2 qualitative projects, (2) the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) stiffness patient-reported outcome measure (RAST), and (3) 3 items assessing stiffness severity, duration, and interference.

RESULTS

Stiffness is multidimensional and includes aspects of stiffness experience such as duration, severity, and effect. Stiffness items showed construct validity in RA. Further efforts are required to develop an instrument that will be taken through the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Filter 2.1 for instrument selection.

CONCLUSION

The research agenda for the group includes domain content voting for individual diseases, and development of stiffness item banks and disease-specific short forms.

PROMIS Physical Function 10-Item Short Form for Older Adults in an Emergency Setting

Background

Functional status in older adults predicts hospital use and mortality, and offers insight into independence and quality of life. The Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) was developed to improve and standardize patient-reported outcomes measurements. The PROMIS Physical Function (PROMIS PF) 10-Item Short Form was not created specifically for older adults. By comparing PROMIS with the Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living (Katz), we evaluated PROMIS for measurement of physical function versus general function in an older adult population seen in the ED.

Methods

A prospective, convenience sample of ED patients 65 years and older (from January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2015) completed Katz and PROMIS PF. Both were compared for scoring distributions and conventional scoring thresholds for severity of impairment (eg, minimal, moderate, severe). We assessed convergence through Spearman correlations, equivalents of conventional thresholds and ranges of physical function, and item-response frequencies.

Results

A total of 357 completed both function surveys. PROMIS PF and Katz have a modest positive correlation (r = .50, p < .01). Mean PROMIS PF scores within Katz scoring ranges for minimal (43, SD = 10), moderate (32, SD = 7), and severe (24, SD = 7) impairment fell within respective PROMIS PF scoring ranges (severe = 14–29, moderate = 30–39, mild = 40–45), indicating convergence. PROMIS identified impairment in 3× as many patients as did Katz, as PROMIS assesses vigorous physical function (eg, running, heavy lifting) not queried by Katz. However, PROMIS does not assess select activities of daily living (ADLs; eg, feeding, continence) important for assessment of function in older adults.

Conclusions

There is a modest correlation between PROMIS and Katz. PROMIS may better assess physical function than Katz, but is not an adequate replacement for assessment of general functional status in older adults.

Interviewer- versus self-administration of PROMIS® measures for adults with traumatic injury

OBJECTIVE

To assess differential item functioning and observed mean differences across two modes of administration for PROMIS® measure scores in a sample of adults with traumatic injury.

METHOD

Items from 7 PROMIS® adult measures (v1.0 Physical Function, Fatigue, Pain Interference, Anger, Anxiety, and Depression and v2.0 Social Health-Emotional Support) were administered as fixed-length short forms in random order to a cross-sectional sample. Participants were randomly assigned to interviewer-administered (phone or in-person) or self-administered (via the Assessment Center website) conditions. The research was conducted at 5 medical rehabilitation institutions across the U.S. Participants included 277 adults with spinal cord injury (n = 148) or traumatic brain injury (n = 129).

RESULTS

DIF analyses indicated that all items were invariant to mode of administration. There was no significant effect of mode of administration for the majority of PROMIS® measures tested. Regarding observed scores, there were small but significant effects of mode of administration on the Emotional Support and Depression measures, with participants in the interview condition reporting better support/fewer symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

PROMIS® instruments demonstrated measurement equivalence across interviewer-administered and self-administered conditions. These findings are particularly important for research or clinical applications where administration of PROMIS® measures by independent web- or tablet-based administration is not ideal, for example with individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities or with individuals who lack computer and/or Internet access. PROMIS® v1.0 Depression and PROMIS® v2.0 Emotional Support scores displayed a tendency toward social desirability that should be considered when these measures are interviewer-administered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Measuring positive health: for now, a bridge too far

OBJECTIVES

Huber et al. introduced a new concept 'positive health', defined as 'the ability to adapt and self-manage in the face of social, physical and emotional challenges' and suggested a conceptual model comprising six domains covering 32 aspects. Our aim was to generate items and pilot test an outcome measurement instrument for measuring 'positive health' in Dutch adult citizens.

STUDY DESIGN

A mixed-method study: a literature search, a qualitative study with interviews and a quantitative ranking study for the development phase, to be followed by a content validity study for the validation phase.

METHODS

We developed items based on the concept elicitation study of Huber et al. A ranking study with end users, Dutch citizens and members of an Expert Group was performed for item reduction. Content validity of the prefinal questionnaire was evaluated.

RESULTS

A prefinal 46-item questionnaire was developed. The results of the content validity study, however, showed major concerns with regard to relevance, comprehensiveness and comprehensibility of the questionnaire.

CONCLUSIONS

Because of major concerns regarding the conceptual model of 'positive health', it was not possible to develop a valid questionnaire to measure 'positive health'. Future research should focus on the refinement of the conceptualization of 'positive health' before an adequate measurement instrument could be developed that can be used for outcome measurement purposes.

Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Versus Legacy Instruments: Are They Ready for Prime Time?

"Legacy" patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) have been used for decades; however, they have many limitations. The National Institutes of Health-funded PRO Measurement Information System (PROMIS) was developed to be a generic, flexible, precise, and reliable tool to measure core and additional domains of physical and emotional health and social well-being. Unlike Legacy PROs, PROMIS measures can be implemented across diseases, and use a common T-score metric-based scoring system derived using item response theory. PROMIS measure scores have potential to predict scores of Legacy PROs and could be the only set of measures needed to assess PROs.

Unique role of rheumatology in establishing collaborative relationships in research. Past, present and future of patient engagement

The specialty of rheumatology takes care of people with disabling and long-term musculoskeletal conditions. For these patients, good healthcare requires the establishment of a sustainable partnership with healthcare professionals. For over two decades, rheumatology has been a frontrunner in piloting and implementing new kinds of partnerships in scientific research. In this viewpoint paper, we provide evidence for the leading role of rheumatology in developing strategies for engaging patients in research agenda setting, outcome research, developing treatment recommendations, assessing grant applications, conducting patient-centred research and transferring knowledge from research into practice. Experiences and lessons learnt in rheumatology are regularly published and are currently widely adapted and implemented in other specialties and research contexts. Challenges still exist and it is expected that rheumatology, as a leading discipline in this field, may further enhance our knowledge, expertise and understanding of the conditions for relational empowerment and meaningful patient involvement.

Combining online and in-person methods to evaluate the content validity of PROMIS fatigue short forms in rheumatoid arthritis

PURPOSE

Fatigue is frequent and often severe and disabling in RA, and there is no consensus on how to measure it. We used online surveys and in-person interviews to evaluate PROMIS Fatigue 7a and 8a short forms (SFs) in people with RA.

METHODS

We recruited people with RA from an online patient community (n = 200) and three academic medical centers (n = 84) in the US. Participants completed both SFs then rated the comprehensiveness and comprehensibility of the items to their fatigue experience. Cognitive debriefing of items was conducted in a subset of 32 clinic patients. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and associations were evaluated using Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients.

RESULTS

Mean SF scores were similar (p ≥ .61) among clinic patients reflecting mild fatigue (i.e., 54.5-55.9), but were significantly higher (p < .001) in online participants. SF Fatigue scores correlated highly (r ≥ 0.82; p < .000) and moderately with patient assessments of disease activity (r ≥ 0.62; p = .000). Most (70-92%) reported that the items "completely" or "mostly" reflected their experience. Almost all (≥ 94%) could distinguish general fatigue from RA fatigue. Most (≥ 85%) rated individual items questions as "somewhat" or "very relevant" to their fatigue experience, averaged their fatigue over the past 7 days (58%), and rated fatigue impact versus severity (72 vs. 19%). 99% rated fatigue as an important symptom they considered when deciding how well their current treatment was controlling their RA.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that items in the single-score PROMIS Fatigue SFs demonstrate content validity and can adequately capture the wide range of fatigue experiences of people with RA.

Patient Health Record Systems Scope and Functionalities: Literature Review and Future Directions

BACKGROUND

A new generation of user-centric information systems is emerging in health care as patient health record (PHR) systems. These systems create a platform supporting the new vision of health services that empowers patients and enables patient-provider communication, with the goal of improving health outcomes and reducing costs. This evolution has generated new sets of data and capabilities, providing opportunities and challenges at the user, system, and industry levels.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our study was to assess PHR data types and functionalities through a review of the literature to inform the health care informatics community, and to provide recommendations for PHR design, research, and practice.

METHODS

We conducted a review of the literature to assess PHR data types and functionalities. We searched PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases from 1966 to 2015 for studies of PHRs, resulting in 1822 articles, from which we selected a total of 106 articles for a detailed review of PHR data content.

RESULTS

We present several key findings related to the scope and functionalities in PHR systems. We also present a functional taxonomy and chronological analysis of PHR data types and functionalities, to improve understanding and provide insights for future directions. Functional taxonomy analysis of the extracted data revealed the presence of new PHR data sources such as tracking devices and data types such as time-series data. Chronological data analysis showed an evolution of PHR system functionalities over time, from simple data access to data modification and, more recently, automated assessment, prediction, and recommendation.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts are needed to improve (1) PHR data quality through patient-centered user interface design and standardized patient-generated data guidelines, (2) data integrity through consolidation of various types and sources, (3) PHR functionality through application of new data analytics methods, and (4) metrics to evaluate clinical outcomes associated with automated PHR system use, and costs associated with PHR data storage and analytics.

Patient outcomes after critical illness: a systematic review of qualitative studies following hospital discharge

BACKGROUND

There is growing interest in patient outcomes following critical illness, with an increasing number and different types of studies conducted, and a need for synthesis of existing findings to help inform the field. For this purpose we conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies evaluating patient outcomes after hospital discharge for survivors of critical illness.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and CENTRAL databases from inception to June 2015. Studies were eligible for inclusion if the study population was >50 % adults discharged from the ICU, with qualitative evaluation of patient outcomes. Studies were excluded if they focused on specific ICU patient populations or specialty ICUs. Citations were screened in duplicate, and two reviewers extracted data sequentially for each eligible article. Themes related to patient outcome domains were coded and categorized based on the main domains of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) framework.

RESULTS

A total of 2735 citations were screened, and 22 full-text articles were eligible, with year of publication ranging from 1995 to 2015. All of the qualitative themes were extracted from eligible studies and then categorized using PROMIS descriptors: satisfaction with life (16 studies), including positive outlook, acceptance, gratitude, independence, boredom, loneliness, and wishing they had not lived; mental health (15 articles), including symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and irritability/anger; physical health (14 articles), including mobility, activities of daily living, fatigue, appetite, sensory changes, muscle weakness, and sleep disturbances; social health (seven articles), including changes in friends/family relationships; and ability to participate in social roles and activities (six articles), including hobbies and disability.

CONCLUSION

ICU survivors may experience positive emotions and life satisfaction; however, a wide range of mental, physical, social, and functional sequelae occur after hospital discharge. These findings are important for understanding patient-centered outcomes in critical care and providing focus for future interventional studies aimed at improving outcomes of importance to ICU survivors.

Beyond patient-centered care: person-centered care for Parkinson's disease

Interest has grown in centering Parkinson's disease (PD) care provision on the welfare of the patient with PD. By putting the welfare of patients first, this patient-centric focus tends to subordinate the welfare of others including clinicians and carers. A possible solution is person-centered care. Rather than remove the spotlight from the patients, it widens that light to illuminate moral interests of all healthcare participants as persons whose welfare is interdependent. It assumes that unwellness among clinicians, for example, can impact the quality of the PD care they provide, such that caring for clinicians may also optimize the welfare of persons with PD. For PD, we suggest how the two models differ and why these differences are important to understand and act on to optimize benefit for participating stakeholders.

Diagnosis, misdiagnosis, lucky guess, hearsay, and more: an ontological analysis

Background

Disease and diagnosis have been the subject of much ontological inquiry. However, the insights gained therein have not yet been well enough applied to the study, management, and improvement of data quality in electronic health records (EHR) and administrative systems. Data in these systems suffer from workarounds clinicians are forced to apply due to limitations in the current state-of-the art in system design which ignore the various types of entities that diagnoses as information content entities can be and are about. This leads to difficulties in distinguishing amongst diagnostic assertions misdiagnosis from correct diagnosis, and the former from coincidentally correct statements about disease.

Methods

We applied recent advances in the ontological understanding of the aboutness relation to the problem of diagnosis and disease as defined by the Ontology for General Medical Science. We created six scenarios that we analyzed using the method of Referent Tracking to identify all the entities and their relationships which must be present for each scenario to hold true. We discovered deficiencies in existing ontological definitions and proposed revisions of them to account for the improved understanding that resulted from our analysis.

Results

Our key result is that a diagnosis is an information content entity (ICE) whose concretization(s) are typically about a configuration in which there exists a disease that inheres in an organism and instantiates a certain type (e.g., hypertension). Misdiagnoses are ICEs whose concretizations succeed in aboutness on the level of reference for individual entities and types (the organism and the disease), but fail in aboutness on the level of compound expression (i.e., there is no configuration that corresponds in total with what is asserted). Provenance of diagnoses as concretizations is critical to distinguishing them from lucky guesses, hearsay, and justified layperson belief.

Conclusions

Recent improvements in our understanding of aboutness significantly improved our understanding of the ontology of diagnosis and related information content entities, which in turn opens new perspectives for the implementation of data capture methods in EHR and other systems to allow diagnostic assertions to be captured with less ambiguity.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13326-016-0098-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.