The PROslT Project seeks to promote the use of Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) in both clinical and research practices for AIDS by developing and commercializing a comprehensive, practical and integrated system for PROs management with cross-discipline efforts. It offers innovative solutions to user accessibility and item bank management issues. The specific Phase 1 aims are to: 1) develop the prototype of an Item Response Theory (IRT)-based adaptive PROs assessment engine supporting access from both web and phones; 2) elicit system requirements from both patients' and physicians' perspectives; and 3) identify potential system usage barriers in clinical settings. This study extends from our earlier work on computerized outcomes solutions for AIDS and cancers. The FAHI questionnaire will be used. Focus group discussions with physicians and patients and face-to-face interviews with pilot-testing participants will be conducted to evaluate system usability and usefulness, refine requirements, and identify potential barriers. PROslT is a generic outcomes collection, analysis and reporting solution applicable to AIDS and other diseases. It enables researchers to further understand the strengths and limitations of PROs in helping clinical decisions by reaching to a broader patient base. It also has wide-ranging applications for pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, insurers, and government agencies and accreditation organizations.
