Dr Zephanie Tyack

Outcome measurement has the potential to have a prominent role in scar rehabilitation. Communication and shared decision making between patients and health professionals can be improved; quality improvement and research facilitated; and national outcomes evaluated by incorporating data into clinical registries. Yet much of this potential is yet to be realised in scar rehabilitation programs in Australia. This presentation will discuss a range of new and traditional approaches to outcome measurement for people receiving care for the prevention or treatment of scars. These approaches include consensus-based measurement, scar endotype and phenotype based measurement, Measurement Based Care, and participation driven approaches that capture return to school and work. Findings from the authors’ program of research examining the effectiveness and implementation of Measurement Based Care initiatives in an Australian paediatric hospital (including scar clinics) will be presented, highlighting challenges and opportunities for future outcome measurement. These initiatives involve feedback of information from patient-reported outcomes to clinicians in real-time with the potential to impact on the timeliness and accessibility of scar care, and communication between patients and health professionals. Personalised approaches that capture the goals, needs, burdens and priorities of patients have the potential to deliver patient-centred care by keeping the end of recovery in mind. These approaches should be considered as part of the clinical and research toolkit to capture outcomes that matter most to patients.