pLOG

2024-09-02

Differences in Cancer Patient Reporting and Physician Follow-Up: The Role of Patient Support Programs

 

According to recent research published in JAMA Network Open, symptom monitoring using patient-reported outcomes (PROs) systems has shown significant improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for lung cancer patients compared to those receiving standard care, where symptoms are monitored through direct questioning by healthcare providers. However, there were no significant differences in outcomes between patient-reported monitoring and physician-initiated interventions, and there was no statistically significant difference in overall survival rates. These findings suggest that patient support management can be effective for long-term symptom monitoring without increasing the workload for healthcare professionals.

In the field of cancer treatment, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly becoming an important tool for enhancing patient health outcomes. These online digital reporting tools are being applied more frequently in clinical practice to improve patients' quality of life and treatment adherence. The recently published "SYMPRO-Lung Trial," a multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 515 lung cancer patients from stages I to IV, found that online PROs symptom monitoring significantly improved patients' HRQOL. This indicates that active patient participation during treatment can lead to positive therapeutic effects. However, there were no significant differences between patient-reported outcomes and physician-initiated care, and no notable improvements in survival rates were observed.

Online patient-reported outcomes systems are also commonly used digital tools in Patient Support Programs (PSPs). These systems help healthcare providers conduct surveys to improve patient treatment adherence and assist in providing patient status information to medical teams. The PatientsForce platform currently offers a digital management system for patient support programs that includes modules for regular patient self-reporting, combined with personalized message-pushing mechanisms to maintain regular interaction with patients. For pharmaceutical companies, promoting the widespread use of PROs and PSPs not only helps improve patient treatment outcomes but also reduces the workload on the healthcare system, thereby supporting clinical decision-making.

Patient-reported outcomes and patient support programs are essential components of modern cancer care. Healthcare institutions and pharmaceutical providers play a critical role in promoting the use of these tools, which not only improves patients' quality of life but also addresses the issue of excessive workload in medical institutions.

─ PatientsForce Chairman and President, Sean Chang