Prioritizing the Journey and the Destination: Comment on "Achieving Diagnostic Excellence: Roadmaps to Develop and Use PatientReported Measures With an Equity Lens"

TL;DR

This paper discusses the importance of using patient-reported measures to improve diagnostic processes and outcomes with a focus on equity.

Contribution

The paper highlights the need for prioritizing measure concepts and providing real-world examples to support implementation.

Findings

Incorporating patient voices can enhance patient-centricity in diagnostic processes.

Roadmapping tools can help organizations set goals and engage stakeholders in measure development.

Examples of measure development and emerging technologies are needed to complement roadmap goals.

Abstract

McDonald and colleagues’ paper on "Achieving Diagnostic Excellence: Roadmaps to Develop and Use Patient-Reported Measures With an Equity Lens" describes seven goals for using patient-reported measures (PRMs) to promote diagnostic excellence and describes roadmaps to plan the development and implementation of PRMs. Incorporating more patient voices into diagnostic measurement and measure development can improve the patient-centricity of processes and outcomes. Additionally, organizations beginning their measure development journeys may find road-mapping tools helpful, especially the focus on setting goals and engaging stakeholders. However, the authors do not offer suggestions for prioritizing measure concepts for development, and the long timeframes of the examples may dissuade some organizations from engaging in measurement to begin with. Real-world examples of measure development processes and potential applications of emerging technologies are important complements to aspirational roadmap goals and processes.