Published 3/11/2025
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are becoming increasingly important in both clinical care and policy. With new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations requiring PROM data collection for total hip and knee replacements, understanding how to implement these measures effectively is critical for healthcare providers.
The AAOS 2025 Annual Meeting features a variety of PROMs-specific sessions designed to provide insights into the role of PROMs in patient care, strategies for successful implementation, and tools available to streamline the process. These sessions are invaluable for those looking to optimize patient care while ensuring compliance with new regulations.
The growing importance of PROMs
PROMs have long been used in research to measure patient symptoms, health status, and quality of life. However, their application in clinical care is gaining momentum, as studies show that PROMs can enhance shared decision making and improve patient outcomes. Recognizing this, the AAOS PROMs Workgroup was established in 2024 to support orthopaedic surgeons with integrating PROMs into everyday practice.
A 2023 survey of AAOS members found that although 52 percent believe PROMs are important, only 35 percent actively use them in their practice. With CMS now requiring the submission of PROM data for 50 percent of eligible patients undergoing hip or knee replacements, hospitals and surgeons must overcome significant barriers to implementation.
Addressing the challenges
Despite the benefits, many practices face obstacles in adopting PROMs. The biggest challenges include staff burden, patient adherence, and the costs associated with implementing PROM collection systems. Additionally, hospitals must navigate issues such as data accessibility, integration with electronic health records, and the complexities of explaining PROMs to both patients and leadership.
To help address these concerns, the workgroup developed key resources, including a PROMs User Guide, a Utilization Scoring Tool, and best practices for working with third-party vendors. These tools aim to simplify data collection and enhance compliance with CMS policies.
What to expect in San Diego
Throughout the week, expert-led sessions by the AAOS PROMs Workgroup and other experts will explore the latest in PROM utilization, offering practical strategies for implementation. Attendees will gain insights into:
- updates on CMS requirements and financial implications for non-compliance
- strategies to obtain the benefits of PROM collection and utilization in clinical practice, including maintaining compliance and improved shared decision making, communication, and outcomes
- the value of PROMs, the details of the mandates, and the early learnings from multiple practice settings
- best practices for leveraging PROMs to improve shared decision making
AAOS PROMs Vendor Program
The AAOS PROMs Vendor Program is a tailored component within the AAOS PROMs in Practice initiative. It is designed to offer a rich library of technology vendors and solutions to orthopaedic surgeons and their care teams, supporting them with the collection and analysis of patient outcomes data. Program participants are selected on an annual basis. Reach out to participating vendors to learn more about how they can help with PROMs collection and submission.