A Concise Overview of Outcome Measures in Clinical Practice

The patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) is an umbrella term covering different ranges of outcome instruments such as the multidimensional health-related quality of life measures (WHOQOL, HRQOL) and others like Short Form 36, EuroQol-5D, and PROMIS. These instruments were developed by experts to address issues that borders directly on the patient's needs and preferences, consequently in contemporary clinical practise it has largely replaced or supplemented traditional outcome measures which are flawed by a host of limitations. The PROM, though designed to address most of the shortcomings observed in the traditional instruments is still subject to constant improvement and validation for it to be at pace with rapid technological advancement as well as variation in human activity and behavior. This is to ensure that ultimately, the care provided is centered around what benefits the patient most. The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement, COSMIN, etc. have developed a set of instruments, standardized for use in clinical practice to ensure that the patient remains at the center of their care. This is continually being improved upon so that it will not lag behind as cutting-edge technological inventions and medical innovations advance healthcare delivery.