Online Program

331656
Implementation of tablet-based electronic patient reported outcomes (ePRO) across multiple active primary care clinic settings


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Stephanie Loo, MSc, Data Team, The Fenway Institute, Boston, MA
Lydia Dant, MPH, Data Team, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
Chris Grasso, MPH, The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
Stephen Boswell, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
Kenneth Mayer, MD, The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
Heidi Crane, MD, MPH, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
Background: Advances in technology have facilitated the collection of Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePROs) to improve clinical care and aid research efforts.  The ePRO system at Fenway Health utilizes a web-based application and tablet devices to collect and send data on behavioral health, substance use, and quality of life domains directly into the electronic health record.

Purpose: To implement and roll out an ePRO system within the clinical workflows across multiple active primary care community health center settings.

Methods: Intensive and individual hands-on training sessions on how to use the ePRO system were designed and carried out for medical providers and assistants. Shadowing and scheduled follow-up within a few weeks of using the system solicited feedback on any necessary adjustments to the roll-out work plan. This staggered roll-out process was used to increase staff buy-in and ensure implementation feasibility.  

Results: 53 medical staff across two clinical sites were trained on how to use and integrate the ePRO system within current clinical workflows between 2014 and 2015. A flexible methodology incorporating individual and group training, as well as feedback elicitation sessions, was able to meet demanding personnel schedules.

Conclusion: The observed benefits of collecting ePRO data at Fenway Health include improved workflow efficiency, reduced data entry errors, decreased clinical paper burden, improved patient-provider communication, and access to real-time data within patient’s electronic medical records. ePROs are a feasible solution to collect a wide array of patient measures, for both clinical and research purposes, in a busy primary care facility with short wait times.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Administration, management, leadership
Communication and informatics
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
Describe the advantages of paperless patient reported outcomes over paper Assess the barriers and challenges of implementing ePROs within an active primary care clinic Identify strategies to overcome the challenges of implementing and rolling-out an ePRO system within an active primary care clinic

Keyword(s): Community Health Centers, Patient-Centered Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the project manager for the ePRO project at Fenway Health, leading and coordinating implementation and roll-out across multiple primary care clinical sites at Fenway Health. I hold a Masters in Science in Global Health and Population and have experience coordinating and managing both clinical and research projects in both domestic and international contexts.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.