What to look for in a PRO Vendor
It’s estimated less than 5% of practices in the country collect patient-reported outcomes (PRO). When the majority of organizations looking to collect outcome data have little to no experience, it’s difficult to know the right questions to ask or what to even expect from a PRO vendor.
To help, we’ve put together a quick patient-reported outcomes vendor checklist you can ask every vendor before making your decision. These questions are meant to help you understand what the process looks like, how much it costs (in time and money), and what a PRO vendor actually does to help you meet your data collection goals.
PRO Vendor Question Checklist
1. Can you describe your implementation process?
Who needs to be involved and how much time do they need to dedicate?
2. Can you advise on what patient-reported outcome measures we should use?
Is there information for each tool?
3. Can you describe the workflow as it relates to patients?
How do you contact them? What methods are available for patients to complete the PRO? Do you conduct phone surveys and reminder calls? If so, what is the cost?
4. What percentage of patients complete the patient-reported outcomes survey?
What’s the pre-op capture rate? The post-op collection rate? How is the capture rate calculated?
5. Can you describe the process for accessing/exporting raw data?
How is data organized and what format is it in: .xls, .csv, etc.
6. Can you describe your reporting capabilities?
What is available in real-time? Do you offer custom reporting or benchmarking? Is there a sample or demo?
7. Do you integrate with the EHR and other PM/surgery scheduling systems?
If so, what is the cost of integration?
8. Can you describe your customer support model?
Is someone always readily available to help with any questions we might have?
9. Are you a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR)?
Can you submit our data to other registries on our behalf, like CMS, CJR, and MIPS? If so, what is the cost?
10. How much does it cost?
Am I paying per provider, per patient, or something else? Will I need extra staff, equipment, or a consultant? Who pays for PRO measures requiring a license?
11. How long are the terms of your contract?
If we aren’t happy with the product, are we able to terminate the contract at any time? If so, what happens to the data when service is discontinued?
