title: Cancer patient-reported outcomes assessment using wireless touch screen tablet computers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility of collecting patient-reported outcomes data with wireless touch screen tablet computers in the adult oncology palliative care setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were provided with tablet computers during scheduled clinic visits and answered online queries about their experience over the past week in the health domains of anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain interference, physical function, instrumental social support, sleep impairment, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, dyspnea, neuropathy, and spiritual values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Content analysis of patient interviews indicates that wireless touch screen tablet computers are a feasible approach for collecting patient-reported outcome measures by palliative care cancer patients presenting in clinic. Most patients indicated that the questionnaire was easy to answer. However, all but one patient requested some form of assistance, and many reported difficulties attributable to a lack of familiarity with the device, interpretation of certain questions, and wireless connectivity-related issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This feasibility study demonstrates that tablet computers have the potential to efficiently and reliably collect patient-reported health status measures among palliative care cancer patients presenting in clinics. The use of these devices may lead to substantial improvements by making patient-reported outcomes available for clinical decision-making.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA, gstukenborg@virginia.edu.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Stukenborg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blackhall
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Barclay
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mallory
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Read
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000592:standards; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012984:Software; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014768:Virginia; D059015:Wireless Technology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data