The patient benefit index: a novel approach in patient-defined outcomes measurement for skin diseases.
Evaluation of therapeutic benefits from the patient's perspective is important in medical decision-making and reimbursement. This study aimed at developing and validating an instrument on patient-defined needs and benefits in dermatology. The questionnaire was developed according to international guidelines. The benefit assessment consists of two steps: before treatment, every patient defines his treatment needs according to a standardized list. After treatment, the patient rates the degree of benefits achieved. A "patient benefit index" (PBI) is calculated by averaging the preference-weighed results of all items. The PBI questionnaire was validated in a sample of 500 patients with ten skin diseases and in a treatment study on 906 patients with acne. The patients defined a broad spectrum of needs and treatment benefits, indicating disease-specific patterns. The PBI showed good feasibility, reliability (Cronbach's alpha >0.91) and construct validity, high responsiveness, and discrimination between subgroups. The PBI permits valid evaluation of patient-relevant benefits in dermatological treatment.
Augustin
Matthias
M
Department of Dermatology, German Center for Health Services Research in Dermatology (CVderm), University Clinics of Hamburg, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. m.augustin@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Radtke
Marc A
MA
Zschocke
Ina
I
Blome
Christine
C
Behechtnejad
Julia
J
Schäfer
Ines
I
Reusch
Michael
M
Mielke
Volker
V
Rustenbach
Stephan Jeff
SJ