Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are a critical way to assess the ongoing state of patient health, from general health and well-being data to specific measures on pain or symptoms to manage chronic health conditions or illnesses. Value-based care is redefining how healthcare providers assess patient outcomes with consideration for patient-reported measures as well as clinical outcomes and cost-reduction methods.
Value-based care encourages healthcare providers to connect with patients along all points of the care spectrum to improve health and reduce costs associated. In cases of illnesses and chronic conditions, patient engagement helps improve adherence to treatment and spot the need for intervention earlier.
Noting that nearly half the physical and psychological symptoms went unreported by patients, Dr. Ethan Basch, M.D., M.Sc., an oncologist and professor of medicine at The University of North Carolina, sought to determine the link between ongoing patient engagement and PROs around symptoms and side effects.
In a study of 766 oncology patients over three years, Dr. Basch found that those patients who were engaged about their side effects and symptoms (via text, email and phone) lived an average of 5 months longer than those who received typical care.*
“When they reported severe or worsening symptoms,” Basch says, “it automatically triggered a message to their nurse via email or within the electronic medical record system, letting them know that the patient was getting into trouble. And then the nurse could respond.”
By catching patient symptoms sooner, medical professionals were able to intervene to improve care or reduce complications, substantially improving outcomes. Patients who participated reported feeling better and living an average five months longer, from 31.2 versus 26 months, than those who did not participate.
Currently, many implementations of PRO systems are tied to pre-appointment assessments, by phone, email, or online survey, but the Ethan Basch study demonstrated that routine outreach and follow-up have a positive impact on patient outcomes.
Telmediq’s cloud-based patient engagement solution engages families across the continuum of care, with a demonstrated ability to improve metrics around chronic conditions and illnesses. As a text-first solution, Telmediq can help facilitate the sharing of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in a way that crosses socioeconomic boundaries.
Telmediq’s text-first patient engagement solution can automate PRO assessment surveys, with proven results such as:
- 70% ongoing response rate for patient health status
- 0.9 point reduction in A1C
- 5x higher engagement with health coaches vs. other channels
- Automatic escalation of survey responses that pass a predefined threshold to expedite early intervention
- Two-way text messaging with healthcare professionals and the option to invite patients into an encrypted channel for a secure chat
Effective patient engagement requires insight-driven communication to improve outcomes and reduce administrative costs. Let us show you how we can help you meet your value-based goals with automated text-first PRO surveys.
Sources: * https://www.curetoday.com/publications/cure/2019/spring-2019/patient-heal-thyself-those-who-self-report-symptoms-may-live-longer * “Mobile Fact Sheet,” Pew Research Center, 2018. *https://medium.com/bsg-sms/50-texting-statistics-that-can-quench-everyones-curiosity-even-mine-7591b61031f5