Patient-reported measures

Patient-reported measures capture feedback about health-related experiences and outcomes. This feedback helps drive quality improvement to deliver better care and mitigate inequity across all levels of the health system. 

Te Tāhū Hauora collects patient-reported measures through validated and standardised surveys, which enable systematic collection, analysis and reporting. They can be grouped into two categories:

• Patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) collect and measure feedback about the patient’s experience of the health services they received, including what worked well and where improvements are needed.
• Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) collect and measure feedback about aspects of the patient’s own health and wellbeing.

Other ways of obtaining patient feedback (eg, in-depth interviews and collection of patient stories, focus groups and consumer forums, complaints and compliments) can also be used to supplement patient surveys and provide additional detail at a local level. For example, survey results may highlight systematic areas where improvement is needed, but more information may be required to co-design solutions for the issues raised.

The government uses patient feedback as a core measure of progress against the objectives of key health policy documents: the Interim Government Policy Statement on Health 2022–2024, Te Pae Tata Interim New Zealand Health Plan 2022 and Whakamaua: Māori Health Action Plan 2020–2025.

How this sits with the code of expectations

The code of expectations for health entities’ engagement with consumers and whānau is the guiding document for patient engagement and participation within the health sector. The code specifies that lived experience, including patient experience data, should be used to inform improvements in health services, with a focus on reducing health inequities for Māori, Pacific peoples and disabled people. See also the code of expectations implementation guide.

Patient experience is a good indicator of the quality of health services. Strong evidence shows that patients who have better experiences, who report being listened to and treated with respect by their doctors and nurses, are more likely to follow advice, get recommended follow-up care and fill their prescriptions.

Consumer and whānau engagement enables consumer experiences and views to be embedded within the planning, design and delivery of health services.