Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) for goalsetting and outcome measurement in primary care physiotherapy, an explorative field study.

OBJECTIVES: Routine use of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) may provide an effective way of monitoring patient valued outcomes. In this study we explored (1) the current use of PROMs; (2) to what extent the goals correspond with the selected PROMs; (3) the health outcomes based on PROMs.

DESIGN: Observational clinical cohort study.

SETTING: Dutch primary care physiotherapy practices (n=43).

PARTICIPANTS: Patients (n=299) with neck pain or low back pain.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The number of PROMs used per patient were calculated. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health was used to map the patients' goals and the percentages of PROMS selected that match the domains of the goals were calculated. Health outcomes were assessed using two approaches for estimating the minimal clinically important difference (MCID).

RESULTS: Repeated measurements with the Visual Analogue Scale, the Patient Specific Complaints questionnaire, the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale, or the Neck Disability Index were completed by more than 60% of the patients. The PROMs used matched in 46% of the cases with goals for pain improvement, and in 43% with goals set at activity/participation level. The mean differences between baseline and follow up scores for all PROMs were statistically significant. Improvements of patients based on MCID varied from 57% to 90%.

CONCLUSIONS: PROMs were used in the majority of the patients, showed improved health outcomes and fitted moderately with goals. The results of this study can be used for future research assessing the routine use of outcome measurements with PROMs.