Starting from scratch: patient-reported outcome questionnaires & their role in an integrative medicine primary care minimum-dataset

Abstract

Aim This research explored the use of patient questionnaires for evaluating integrative medicine (IM) clinics in the primary care setting. Background Integrative medicine (IM) combines traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine with conventional biomedicine. With more clinics in Australia offering IM, it is important to evaluate outcomes. Methods Mixed methods were used. This included a case study of an IM clinic in Sydney, Australia; interviews with 20 patients and 13 staff at the clinic; and a systematic literature review of patient questionnaires. Results Challenges for meausring IM outcomes limitations with routine clinical data collection, selecting appropriate questionnaires able to measure the wide range of IM outcomes whilst minimizing responder burden, patient recruitment and practitioner support. Electronic questionnaires have many advantages. Alternative formats such as paper are still needed. Not all interviewees were interested in cohort results or research and instead wanted to access their individual patient results. Discussion The results from the studies were synthesised and a set of recommendations are offered. Conclusions Patient questionnaires could be used to establish a minimum dataset for use in research, health service development, and informing and improving individual patient care. A bottom-up approach that adresses stakeholders’ needs for a dataset is essential.