Two Implementation Strategies for the Collection of Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Patients With Multiple Myeloma

This clinical trial evaluates satisfaction and engagement with a text messaging platform (TXT-Chatbot) compared to a patient portal system (MyChart/Patient Portal) for reporting symptoms among patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Multiple myeloma is the third most common hematologic (relating to the blood and blood-forming organs) cancer. Patients with MM typically receive continuous therapy from the time of diagnosis, which often comes with treatment-related toxicities. Symptom burden and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for those with MM can be quite poor. Effects of MM and its treatment may impact HRQOL domains such as physical and emotional well-being, social functioning, and financial burden. Assessment of toxicities through patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures is critical and can generate information to help facilitate clinical decision making and follow up care. PROs are direct reports from patients about their health status. Compared with paper versions, electronic PROs (ePRO) allow patients to report their symptoms in real time outside of their clinic visit, facilitate direct data collection through the electronic health record, and enable clinicians to track symptoms long-term. The use of ePROs is associated with improved patient health outcomes, including better quality of life, reduced emergency department usage, and prolonged overall survival. The increased use of electronic communication technologies to capture PRO data long-term has been implemented through various methods including web-based, social media, text messages, mobile applications, and electronic portals. Text messaging is an accessible, though under-explored, communication channel for promoting ePRO collection. Information gathered from this study may help researchers understand MM patients' preferences for reporting symptoms via text message compared to a patient portal system.