TheUseofaBlockchaintoFostertheDevelopmentofPatient-ReportedOutcomeMeasuresJASONC.GOLDWATER,MA,MPAAugust8,20162IntroductiontoPatientRelatedOutcomeMeasuresPatient-relatedoutcomemeasures(PROMs),whichfocusonoutcomesthataredirectlyrelatedtothepatient,havetakenonaddedimportanceandsignificanceoverthepastseveralyears.[1]Thisisdue,inpart,totheincreasedattentionfocusedonthepatientexperienceofcareandtoprovideapatient-focusedassessmentontheburdenandimpactofdisease.PROMscanincludesymptomsandotheraspectsofhealth–relatedqualityoflifeindicatorssuchasphysicalorsocialfunction,treatmentadherence,andsatisfactionwithtreatment.Theycanalsofacilitatemoreaccuratepatient-physiciancommunicationintermsoftheburdenoftreatment-relatedmorbiditiesbyprovidingamoredetailedandcompleteevaluationoftreatmentsforspecificconditions,suchascancerormultiplesclerosis.[2]PROMsaredistinctfromtraditionalclinicalefficacymeasures(e.g.,survivalincancer,smokingcessation)becausetheydirectlyreflecttheimpactofdiseaseanditstreatmentfromthepatient’sperspective.[1]Itcanexaminethebalancebetweentheefficiencyofthetreatmentanditsburdenonthepatient.Itisalsoeffectiveinlookingatareassuchasphysicalfunctioningandoverallwell-being,andhighlightingtheefficacyandsafetyoftreatmentsinrelationtoitsoverallclinicalbenefit.Becausethemeasuresthemselvesaredevelopedfromthepatient’sperspective,itcanalsofacilitategreaterpatientinvolvementintreatmentdecision-makingaswellasprovidingguidanceforhealthcaredecisions.[1]However,thereisdifficultyinthedevelopment,implementationandsustainabilityofPROMsoverthelong-term.[3]Thesuccessofawell-developedPROMthatadequatelyandaccuratelyreflectthatpatient’sperspectivereliesontheuseofaninstrumentthatispsychometricallytestedandvalidatedandcancapturetheburdenofdiseaseortreatment.Thismeanstheinstrumentmustbereliable,inthatthePROMyieldsthesamemetricforevaluationeachtimeitisadministered,providingthattheconstructbeingmeasuredhasnotchanged.Additionally,thePROMmustalwaysmeasureitsintendedobjective,andnotdemonstratesi...
