Proceedings of Patient Reported Outcome Measure’s (PROMs) Conference Sheffield 2016: advances in patient reported outcomes research

Health, health-related and health-care evaluation research can consider technologies that are adaptive in some way: this conference fo-cuses interest on Patient Reported Outcome Measures but arguably its remit could be widened. Why? Statistical methodology, health economics and health psychometrics are seen to converge in use of models and understanding of multiple item, multi-construct or multi-dimensional questionnaire (or test) data on occasion. Fieldwork in health and related research using legacy instruments (tests and scales) is a massive undertaking and social survey, cohort and large scale longitudinal research in biomedicine have progressed towards platform scale. Innovation using computer-based or computerized adaptive tests is relatively new in the UK in some sectors and for some scientific communities, but this scientific meeting will provide valuable updates and visibility to ongoing work. Extensions to existing evaluation data are easily motivated and you are welcomed to join this initiative and conversation with evaluation models, new domains of application for simple developments as well as more complex and challenging applications. Healthcare technology cooperatives and health data analytics networks are logical places to progress relevant work and collaborations but – if warranted – sustainable development of evaluation at scale requires platforms accessible but not necessarily linked between cog-nitive and non-cognitive outcomes, health and social care, PROMS and epidemiological measures. In my opinion (dynamically updated!) CAT and variants are in their infancy in NIHR research and CLAHRC collaboration could offer leadership in this area (I can speak to some possible contributions). Research council, charity and industry sector collaboration might be entertained as in other areas of applied science. Strategic investment in coordinated activity supporting feasibility evaluation and development at scale in the NHS or other organisations relevant to health or related research is needed to accelerate and extend existing pro-grammatic activity, though incremental progress is being made by pioneers and early adopters (though the field is decades old). Options for one country, organisation, setting or collaborator might not all be the same, but sharing of potentials and early evaluation results is encouraged since this might allow new partners to engage and progress. Interest from professional groups (whether clinical area, education sector (medical, dentistry, nursing and allied health professional groups) is increasing and may promote participation in platform style developments in coming years. Relationships with internationally visible initiatives and platform developments remain as opportunities. S2 Well-being: what is it, how does it compare to health and what are the implications …