Patient reported measures September outcome report
Patient reported measures September outcome report
Recently CheckUP has been developing system of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient reported experience measures (PREMs) in order to help us to understand what matters most to patients and to find out if the care we deliver supports the outcomes and experiences that patients expect. We are currently trialling a standardised, validated and disease specific PROM to provide insight into the impact of surgical intervention for patients within the EESS program. We are also working with several academics and institutions across Australia in order to implement a set of PREMs to provide insight into the quality of care, with a specific focus on cultural safety and appropriateness of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. CheckUP aims to use the combination of PROMS and PREMs in parallel to understand patients’ perceptions of both the process and outcome of their care.
The COVID-19 induced shutdown allowed the opportunity to research, review literature and connect with health professionals to develop the creation and implementation of these outcome and experience measures. As soon as elective surgery was able to resume, CheckUP was able to pilot and modify/amend a number of these questions and processes with both our service providers as well as 14 patients attending the clinic for cataract surgery.
During this clinic visit in Cairns, CheckUP was also able to distribute the first round of My See Clearer packs post-COVID, with thanks to the Arrow Energy Brighter Futures Program. This funding has enabled us to produce 500 packs which come in a special branded calico bag and include important resources on what to expect during cataract surgery and post-operative care, sunglasses, water bottle, a keep cup, tissues, coffee and hot chocolate sachets, biscuits, wet wipes, dental travel pack, stress ball, and moisturiser. In true partnership style, some of these items were kindly donated from the Fred Hollows Foundation.
During conversations with patients around the most significant change they experienced due to the cataract surgery, one of the many grateful patients, Robbie, said he is most looking forward to going for a drive and painting again, “I couldn’t see out of my eye at all before and now I can see a bit blurry, and soon I will be able to see out of it. I used to paint a lot, but I had to stop. I used to paint turtle shells and sell them at Mareeba markets to all the tourists. Now I will be able to paint again and take the shells back to the markets.”
The next surgery will be eye surgery held in November, where we will be trialling questions to a new cohort of patients. To read the full report on the progress of the PROMs and PREMs implementation, please click here: Outcomes Project September Status Report.
