An Electronic Patient Reported Outcome (ePRO) is a digital method for collecting self-reported health information directly from trial participants, typically through electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, or computers. ePROs capture the participants’ perceptions of their own health, symptoms, quality of life, and the effects of treatments or interventions, without the need for interpretation by healthcare professionals.
The primary benefit of ePROs is their ability to gather real-time, accurate, and consistent data, which can be crucial for assessing treatment effectiveness and understanding a patient's experience with a disease. Participants can complete surveys or questionnaires at their convenience, leading to more frequent and timely data collection compared to traditional methods. Additionally, ePROs reduce common issues such as transcription errors, as the data is collected electronically and can be validated immediately.
ePROs are particularly useful in clinical trials, where they provide valuable insights into treatment response. The digital format allows for easy integration with other clinical systems, such as electronic case report forms (eCRFs), making data management more efficient and reducing administrative burden. By improving data accuracy and timeliness, ePROs help researchers monitor progress and make quicker, more informed decisions during the trial.
In summary, ePROs offer a modern, efficient approachto capturing feedback from trial participants, enhancing the quality of healthcare data, and supporting better decision-making in both clinical trials and routine care.