Stakeholder perspectives on the use of patient-reported outcome measures in colorectal cancer survivorship care in general practice: qualitative study using interviews

Purpose: To explore perspectives of colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors and general practitioners (GPs) regarding the potential use of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) in survivorship care. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews with CRC survivors and GPs to explore their opinions on the potential utility, feasibility, and preferred method of PROMs utilization in their care/clinical practice. Thematic analysis was conducted using a qualitative descriptive approach. Results: Three themes emerged from 13 CRC survivor interviews:(1) potential of PROMs as tools for revealing and monitoring hidden CRC sequelae, (2) benefits and drawbacks to be weighed when using PROMs in CRC survivorship care, and (3) practical strategies to enhance the utility of PROMs in CRC survivorship care. Two themes emerged from four GP interviews:(1) current uses of PROM in general practice may indicate potential applications in CRC survivorship care, and (2) implementation of PROMs in CRC survivorship care needs to consider resource-limited general practice environments. CRC survivors had positive views about using PROMs in their care, believing they could be a valuable tool to enhance monitoring of treatment sequelae/and communication with their GP. GPs also acknowledged the potential utility but emphasized that for CRC-specific PROMs to be implemented, they first needed to demonstrate tangible improvements to the current way that CRC treatment sequelae were monitored and managed, considering already resource-limited Australian general practice settings.