Resident University of North Carolina Durham, North Carolina
Introduction: Many studies have demonstrated traditional collection methods of patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs) by phone, email, or mail are frought with challenges including poor response rates, need for manual data entry, and lack of real-time data collection.
Objectives: To design a user friendly smartphone application platform that effectively and efficiently collects validated survey responses and voice recordings in real-time following intervention.
Methods: Encore application was developed, tested, and released in coordination with UNC CHAI core. Patients undergoing vocal fold injection augmentation and type I medialization thyroplasty are prospectively enrolled. Postoperatively, they are notified via the Encore app to complete serial survey data (VRQOL, GFI, and EAT-10) and voice recordings (for perceptual grading by the grade, breathiness, roughness, asthenia, and strain (GRBAS) scale) at specific time intervals. Data is collected in an admin portal. Ease of enrollment, patient and provider satisfaction with functionality, and initial response rates were assessed.
Results: The development of the Encore app is complete and available in the iOS app store. Patients and providers had high satisfaction with ease of enrollment and application functionality. Patients were highly motivated to participate and engaged in their clinical care and outcomes. Initial response rates are superior to traditional methods of PROM collection.
Conclusions: The Encore app has the capability to more efficiently collect PROM in real time with improved response rates. Patients and providers reported high level of satisfaction with app functionality, ease of enrollment, and remote data collection. Future directions include analysis of longitudinal voice and swallowing outcomes after treatment, response rates, change in interventions, and cost analysis