Using patient-reported outcomes in measurement-based care: perceived barriers and benefits in oncologists and mental health providers

Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) are assessments of a patient’s perception of their own health. PROs are often used in measurement-based care (MBC) to assess whether a treatment is working or needs to be changed. We compared oncology providers to mental health providers about barriers and benefits for PRO-based MBC. Oncologists (n = 200) and mental health professionals (n = 250) were recruited through a survey panel. The survey was designed with input from providers and a patient investigator. Multivariate analyses compared oncologists to mental health professionals and never users of PROs to current PRO users. The most frequent barriers out of 13 were patients not wanting to complete PROs (55%), time (44%), training (37%), not knowing about PROs (33%), and PROs not accounting for individual differences (26%). Oncologists were more likely to report not being trained, not having the technology or funding to administer PROs to patients, not knowing how to interpret PROs, and not having PROs that meet their clinical needs (p < .05) than mental health professionals. Oncologists were also less likely to say that PROs helped justify continued treatment (p = .01) and were more likely to report that PROs helped patients get better faster and that PROs improved communication (p < .05) than mental health professionals. Oncology providers reported less familiarity with PROs and fewer resources to administer PROs in clinical practice. While logistical barriers likely impede PRO use in MBC, identifying specialty specific barriers and allowing PROs to be individualized to the patient may also improve PRO use for all providers.