Implementing patient reported outcomes in cancer care: Lessons and strategies from a large UK Cancer Centre

Abstract

Background

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are valuable for advancing patient-centred cancer care by capturing patients’ views on their health, quality of life, and symptoms. However, routine PROM collection remains difficult to implement in clinical settings. This study evaluated a PROM pilot in the prostate cancer radiotherapy setting at Guy’s Cancer Centre, identifying multi-level barriers and facilitators to routine implementation.

Methods

A mixed-methods design was used, comprising qualitative interviews with healthcare professionals and a quantitative questionnaire for patients. The interview guide was informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Fourteen healthcare professionals (including clinicians, radiographers, and managers) took part in interviews, and ten of twenty prostate cancer patients completed the evaluative questionnaire.

Results

Key patient-level challenges included digital literacy gaps, limited access to technology, and low understanding of PROMs. Provider-level barriers involved limited PROM training, staff turnover, and concerns about added workload. Administrative issues included funding limitations and logistical complexity across multiple care sites. System-level barriers centred on poor integration between PROM platforms and electronic health record (EHR) systems.

Conclusions

To support sustainable and scalable PROM use, several strategies are proposed: developing patient education tools, setting thresholds for clinically meaningful PROM changes, appointing administrative staff to reduce provider burden, and offering PROM access via devices such as iPads in waiting rooms. Policy recommendations include resourcing PROM-dedicated staff, enabling flexible training for clinical teams, and introducing support mechanisms to reduce inequities in PROM completion. These approaches aim to embed PROMs into routine cancer care, improving clinical outcomes and patient engagement. Future work should explore the scalability of these strategies across other tumour types and settings, ensuring PROMs can inform value-based, equitable cancer care delivery.

Policy summary

This paper seeks to influence policies that promote patient-centred care in oncology, particularly by enhancing the routine collection and integration of PROMs within cancer treatment pathways. It advocates for policies that allocate resources to support sustainable PROM collection, including dedicated staff roles, infrastructure for technological integration, and patient education resources. Additionally, it highlights the need for policy improvements that address health inequities by providing targeted support for populations facing digital literacy and accessibility challenges. By addressing these policy areas, the paper aims to advance frameworks that improve patient engagement, data-informed clinical decision-making, and equitable access to supportive care in oncology.