Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are assessments of a patient's health status and quality of life as reported by the patient themselves, rather than by healthcare professionals or other observers. PROs are typically obtained through surveys or questionnaires that ask patients about their symptoms, functional status, and overall well-being.

PROs are important for several reasons. First, they provide a direct measure of the patient's experience of their illness or condition, which can be different from what healthcare professionals observe or measure. Second, PROs can help to identify specific symptoms or issues that are important to patients but may not be captured by standard clinical assessments. Finally, PROs can be used to track changes in the patient's health status over time, which can be important for evaluating the effectiveness of treatments or interventions.

PROs are used in a variety of clinical settings, including clinical trials, routine clinical care, and health policy research. In clinical trials, PROs are often used as primary or secondary endpoints to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment or intervention. In routine clinical care, PROs can be used to monitor the patient's health status and to guide treatment decisions. In health policy research, PROs can be used to evaluate the impact of healthcare policies or interventions on patient outcomes.

Overall, PROs provide an important tool for understanding the patient's perspective on their health status and quality of life, and can help to guide clinical decision-making and improve patient-centered care.