Abstract
Purpose :
Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are widely used to assess the subjective experience of disease or illness and the impact of treatment. We have developed a suite of age-appropriate, vision-specific, and psychometrically robust PROMs for self-reporting on vision-related quality of life and functional vision by children and young people aged 8 to 18 years. In order to plan their implementation into routine practice at our hospital, we investigated clinicians' knowledge, experience and attitudes about PROMs.
Methods :
Clinicians in the Paediatric Ophthalmology Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK, participated in an online survey of PROM use. Descriptive and qualitative analyses identified perceived facilitators and barriers of PROM use. Results were disseminated to a larger group of clinical professionals with the aim of generating group discussion and complementary qualitative data.
Draft PROM scoring sheets were developed, incorporating aspects of scoring highly valued by the clinical team.
Results :
18 clinicians completed the survey, of whom 78% reported no experience of using PROMs routinely. Participants' recognised that PROMs may facilitate communication with their patients, and raise awareness of the child's experience of visual impairment. But they were concerned about time constraints and administrative burden of using PROMs in busy clinical settings. Qualitative data revealed preferences to view PROM summary scores before clinic appointments and be presented to them by the Eye Clinic Patient Officer whose role is patient/family information and support. Preferences regarding the presentation of PROM summary scores revealed that both visual (e.g. 'traffic light' systems) and numeric methods are needed.
Conclusions :
Clinicians in a leading tertiary Paediatric Ophthalmology Centre have positive attitudes to using child vision-related PROMs in routine clinical practice. Developing methods of administering PROMs, and optimising how data are made available will be crucial to successful implementation.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.