Aims:
While the evidence supporting routine collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) is well established, translating evidence into sustained practice requires more than clinical enthusiasm. This presentation examines the role of executive sponsorship and organisational investment in enabling, or constraining, the implementation of patient-reported measures (PROMs) through lessons from both successful and unsuccessful implementation initiatives in South Australia.
Methods:
Drawing on two contrasting case studies: 1.) a successful implementation for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer by the national Youth Cancer Service network and 2.) the planned Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health (CEIH) PROMs program, this presentation reflects on the organisational and system-level factors that influenced implementation. Particular attention is given to executive sponsorship, strategic investment, governance, and organisational decision-making.
Results:
The comparison demonstrates that successful implementation depends on sustained executive commitment alongside clinical leadership. The AYA program illustrates how organisational support, investment, and alignment with service priorities enabled implementation and ongoing use of PROMs. In contrast, although there was strong clinical support for a coordinated statewide PROMs program, changing organisational priorities resulted in an alternative implementation pathway using existing local infrastructure. These experiences highlight the influence of executive sponsorship on implementation decisions and the importance of balancing strategic investment with local delivery models.
Conclusions:
Implementation success is determined not only by the strength of the evidence, but by the organisational conditions that enable change. Executive sponsorship, sustained investment, and governance are critical for achieving scalable, sustainable implementation, while strong clinical leadership remains essential for maintaining momentum when implementation pathways evolve.