Patient related outcome measures (PROMs) in long term conditions—is it time to bring them into routine clinical practice?

In most consultations about long term conditions, healthcare professionals tend to focus on patients’ clinical outcomes or targets. Frequently missing from these discussions is how psychologically and physically challenging the day-to-day management of these conditions can be, as patients work to alleviate symptoms and reduce the risk of long term complications.1 In an era where patient management is focused on following guidelines and attaining treatment targets, the lived experience of the individual person can be forgotten. Patient related outcomes (PROs) could be a useful way to re-centre the individual and improve personalised care.PROs, with their specific focus on a person’s lived experience, are increasingly receiving attention in healthcare settings.2 They capture patients’ responses to the demands of self-management and its effects on other areas of their life—factors that can have considerable influence on a person adhering to treatment and achieving clinical targets. PROs are measured using specific, validated questionnaires, known…
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