Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: Best Is the Enemy of Good (But What if Good Is Not Good Enough?).

Abstract

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly important in research and clinical practice and to monitoring the efficiency of health care services. The selection process of a PROM is fundamental to ensure that what matters to patients is captured in a valid, reliable, responsive, and feasible manner. However, selecting a fit-for-purpose PROM is not always an easy task, as many clinimetric and sociological factors can play a role. In this Viewpoint, 2 different perspectives on PROM selection are presented and debated, and a few key suggestions are provided to improve PROM development and assessment. The measurement of physical functioning in patients with low back pain (LBP) is used as a recurring example. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2019;49(2):39-42. doi:10.2519/jospt.2019.0602.