Beter beslissen met slimmer scoren

Musculoskeletal complaints (such as low back, neck, and shoulder pain) are among the most common reasons for referral to physiotherapy. They affect millions of people in the Netherlands and require care that is not only effective but also aligned with patients’ individual goals and capabilities. Shared decision-making is therefore essential, with patients and physiotherapists jointly deciding on treatment options. In clinical practice, increasing amounts of outcome information are available through patient-reported questionnaires. However, these data are not used consistently or effectively in consultations and treatment decisions. Moreover, many questionnaires are lengthy and experienced as burdensome.
A promising alternative is offered by DF-PROMIS CATs: brief digital questionnaires that adapt to previous responses, requiring far fewer items to obtain reliable outcome information. A project focusing on the technical implementation of DF-PROMIS CATs is already underway. The next step is enabling physiotherapists to understand and apply these outcomes in clinical practice. This requires combining DF-PROMIS CAT scores with other sources of information, such as clinical findings, professional guidelines, and prediction models. Subsequently, these outcomes must be meaningfully integrated into shared decision-making.
This project therefore focuses on the interpretation and integration of DF-PROMIS CAT outcomes into clinical reasoning and shared decision-making in physiotherapy. Over a 30-month period, we will collaborate with physiotherapists and patients in three phases: (1) interviews and focus groups to explore needs, experiences, and barriers; (2) analysis of physiotherapy consultations to examine how outcome information is currently discussed and weighted; and (3) co-creation and initial testing of a practical methodology, including supportive materials (e.g., consultation structures, visual explanations of scores, or a simple dashboard), alongside training for both clinical practice and education. The project will result in a feasible and implementable approach that reduces the burden of outcome measurement, strengthens shared decision-making, and supports the personalization of physiotherapy care.