Patient-reported outcome measures in the emergency department: a scoping review protocol

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this scoping review is to identify and characterize validated patient-reported outcome measures used to assess adult patients' health status in the emergency department to support clinical decision-making and to develop individual care and treatment plans.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, the workload in emergency departments has increased and patient management is characterized by a fast pace. The accelerated approach may lead to unintentional negligence by health care professionals of patient-reported signs and symptoms in the emergency department. Thus, use of patient-reported outcome measures in the emergency department may improve health care professionals' attention to the needs and health status of patients.

INCLUSION CRITERIA: Studies assessing adult patients' health status in the emergency department using patient-reported outcome measures will be considered. The patient-reported outcome measures should be self-reported, assisted by a proxy, or administered through interviews. Only studies reporting on the measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures will be included. Moreover, health-related information retrieved using patient-reported outcome measures should be applicable at an individual patient level.

METHODS: A systematic literature search will be performed primarily in the databases MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Both published and unpublished sources of information will be considered. Studies published from 2000 onwards in Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, and English will be included. Using the JBI methodology for scoping reviews, two reviewers will independently perform the study selection and data extraction. The results will be presented in a tabular form together with a narrative summary.