Patient-Reported Outcome Measurements (PROMs) After Discharge From the Emergency Department: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: The purpose of a patient-reported outcome (PRO) is to elicit the perspectives of patients and translate them into a reliable measurement questionnaire. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this cross-sectional study was to detect a set of PROs and PRO measurements (PROMs) about patients with isolated trauma of the limbs receiving emergency department (ED) care. METHODS: A survey was performed in the ED using a questionnaire among the enrolled patients to identify which proposed outcomes were perceived as important by the patients according to their expectations. RESULTS: Ninety-six consecutive patients were conveniently enrolled. For each item of the questionnaire, the percentage of patients who agreed to perceive it important were calculated. Three items were perceived important by almost 85% of the patients: getting an x-ray (91%; 95% CI: 88%-98%), obtaining a written therapy (94%; 95% CI: 87%-97%), and feeling the physicians’ and nurses’ empathy (97%; 95% CI: 91%-99%). The ED system was able to satisfy 2 of the 3 agreed PROs in at least 85% of the cases: getting an x-ray (97%; 95% CI: 91%-99%) and obtaining a written therapy (97%; 95% CI: 91%-99%). Moreover, in 30/96 patients (31%; 95% CI: 22%-41%), all the PROs were satisfied, and in 75/96 patients (78%; 95% CI: 69%-85%), all agreed PROs were satisfied. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows an example of core of PROs proposed by the ED physicians and agreed by the patients. Moreover, we presented a set of PROMs which could be used to measure the quality of an ED.