Patient Outcome
A patient outcome refers to any measurable change in health status (positive or negative) that occurs as a result of medical care, intervention, or disease progression.
Types of Patient Outcomes
- Clinical outcomes: Survival, recovery, complication rates, recurrence, neurological status.
- Functional outcomes: Ability to perform daily activities, mobility, independence.
- Quality of life (QoL): Physical, emotional, and social well-being as perceived by the patient.
- Patient-reported outcomes (PROs): Symptoms, satisfaction, pain levels, reported directly by the patient.
Importance
- Central to evidence-based medicine and clinical decision-making.
- Used to assess the efficacy, safety, and value of interventions or procedures.
- Required for clinical trials, healthcare quality metrics, and treatment guidelines.