The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether an electronic patient-reported outcome measure (ePROM)-guided flexible scheduling system can improve outpatient clinic resource utilisation in patients attending dermatology outpatient clinics for routine follow-up. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the intervention reduce the number of actualised outpatient visits over 12 months compared with standard fixed scheduling? * Does the intervention group achieve higher adherence to monthly ePROM monitoring, as measured by the proportion of completed ePROM submissions?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
250
Monthly ePROM responses will feed a Bayesian decision system to determine appointment need, which will then be used to make recommendations to patients for scheduling of appointments.
Monthly electronic patient reported outcome measures (ePROMs) surveys will be sent to patients' mobile devices to capture self-reported disease severity data.
Number of actualised outpatient visits
Difference in actualised outpatient visits (in-person + teleconsult) over 12 months (effectiveness outcome).
Time frame: baseline to week 52
Proportion of completed monthly ePROMs
Difference in proportion of completed monthly ePROMs (implementation outcome)
Time frame: baseline to week 52
No-show rate
Number of appointments missed without prior rescheduling or cancellation
Time frame: baseline to week 52
Cancelled or rescheduled appointments
Appointments booked but cancelled or rescheduled before the actual appointment date
Time frame: baseline to week 52
Urgent care or unscheduled visits
Emergency department visits or other urgent care visits related to patient's dermatological condition
Time frame: baseline to week 52
Skin-specific Quality of Life Impairment
Changes in quality of life using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Minimum Score: 0 (no impact on quality of life). Maximum Score: 30 (extremely large impact on quality of life).
Time frame: baseline, 6 months, 12 months
Clinician-assessed disease severity
Clinician-assessed disease severity using body surface area and the investigator global assessment on a 0-5 NRS
Time frame: baseline to week 52
Acceptability of the intervention
Assessed using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability
Time frame: week 52
Perceived burden of engaging with the intervention
Research questionnaire assessing perceived burden of intervention use
Time frame: baseline, 6 months, 12 months
Fidelity to the scheduling algorithm
The extent to which algorithm-generated recommendations were followed, overridden, or superseded
Time frame: baseline to week 52
Barriers and facilitators to implementation
Explored through semi-structured qualitative interviews
Time frame: week 52
Bayesian Decision-layer outputs
Decision-layer outputs, including monthly posterior summaries and posterior predictive probabilities for each appointment category
Time frame: baseline to week 52
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.