Improving Heart Care with Patient Feedback: A Toronto Hospital's Journey

Heart failure can greatly affect a person's daily life, leading to frequent hospital visits and worsening symptoms. To understand and address these issues, hospitals started using Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). In 2022, a large academic hospital in Toronto, Canada, included PROMs in their electronic health record system (Epic). This move aimed to capture patients' experiences and better manage their care. Experts used implementation science frameworks to see how well these measures were being used in heart failure treatment. This study focused on understanding the adoption and integration of PROMs in clinical heart failure care. It looked at how patients' voices were being heard and acted upon in treatment plans.

In the past, hospitals relied heavily on doctors' assessments, which might not fully capture a patient's experiences. However, using PROMs gives patients the chance to directly share their symptoms, daily functions, and overall quality of life. This direct feedback can help doctors make more informed decisions. The Toronto hospital's initiative to incorporate PROMs is part of a global trend in healthcare, focusing more on patient-centered care. The study found that while the hospital had good intentions, there were challenges in fully integrating PROMs into daily practice. Doctors and staff needed more training and support to effectively use and respond to the patient-reported data. This highlighted the importance of thorough planning and education when introducing new healthcare tools. Overall, the project served as a reminder that while technology and new methods can improve care, they need to be properly integrated and understood by all involved. By learning from this experience, other hospitals can better implement PROMs and similar tools, improving heart failure care and patient well-being.

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