10/02/2026
For many surgeons, the greatest surprises don’t happen in theatre… they happen much later.
A procedure may go exactly as planned.
And a week after discharge from hospital, your patient is not doing as well as s/he should. Ongoing pain, limited function, or dissatisfaction that no one saw coming.
These moments aren’t a failure of care. They’re a failure of visibility.
Patient-reported outcome measures extend insight beyond discharge and routine appointments. They show how recovery is actually experienced over time (where pain lingers, function returns more slowly, or expectations weren’t fully met).
By knowing early, PROMS reduce unwanted surprises because you can intervene. PROMS allow concerns to be identified, contextualised, and addressed before they surface as disengagement, dissatisfaction, or negative reviews.
For surgeons, this isn’t about judgement or defensiveness. It’s about clarity.
When recovery is understood in full, reflection becomes easier, follow-up becomes more purposeful, and improvement becomes quieter, steadier, and more intentional.