PRO-based communication with patients

• Show that you reviewed the PRO data.
• Explore further to ensure mutual understanding (ask clarifying questions).
• You might mention areas that are not problematic to highlight resources, e.g., scales with no reported burden.
• Provide short, clear explanations by using patient-oriented language.
• Invite questions.
• Avoid suggestive questions (e.g., “Nausea should not be a problem for you?”).
• Avoid asking multiple questions at once.
• Ask the patient to prioritise (What is most important to you? What is bothering you most?). 

“The most important thing for me is to be sure that the HCP has looked at my PROMs. Sometimes, it is hard for patients to complete the questionnaires, either physically or mentally, and we want to know that the effort has been worthwhile. We want to know if anything we have reported is possibly serious and whether things are getting better or worse in our cancer journey. Also, how do we compare with other similar patients?"