As an end consumer in healthcare treatment, it’s not just about whether a treatment is clinically successful, but also about how it impacts your daily life. That’s where PRMs come in. These are questionnaires that ask for information about your health outcomes from your perspective. Some PROMs ask about things only you can know, like the level of pain or psychological distress, while others ask about things that others can observe, like your walking ability. Anyone receiving healthcare can complete these questionnaires, and sometimes a carer or support person may also assist in completing a PRM on your behalf.
If you are asked to complete a PRM, it’s because your healthcare provider wants to know how your health condition and treatment is affecting you. They may want to know about your symptoms or the extent you can do the things you usually do. Completing a questionnaire provides a systematic way to do this and supports healthcare providers to meet your individual needs.
Your responses to PRMs questions can spark conversations about the problems you may be facing in relation to your health condition and the treatment you are receiving. Completing a PRM can make it easier for you to raise issues with your healthcare professionals.
Sometimes you may be asked to respond to the same PRM multiple times during your care journey, and this can help track your progress. Seeing how information from many patients who have the same health condition as you and have undergone the treatments you are considering. Information from other patients may help you understand what improvements you might reasonably expect from a treatment and how likely they may be in your circumstances. In discussions with your healthcare professionals, information from other patients could help you make an informed choice about treatment.