Remote symptom monitoring using electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) has been shown to enhance symptom management, improve communication between patients and care teams, elevate quality of life, and in some studies, even prolong survival. However, despite growing endorsement through value-based care models like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Enhancing Oncology Model, widespread adoption of ePRO programs across real-world oncology settings has remained limited by implementation challenges.

The OncoPRO initiative, launched in March 2024, aims to address these barriers by supporting oncology practices and health systems across the US in the deployment and sustainability of ePRO-based remote symptom monitoring. Presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, the initiative offers a structured, collaborative framework to foster real-world implementation at scale.

Funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), OncoPRO is led by operational teams at the University of North Carolina and the University of Alabama, in collaboration with ASCO, the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the PROTEUS Consortium. Observers from key federal agencies—including CMS and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—also participate.

To date, OncoPRO has engaged 15 major US oncology practices and health systems, 2 national practice networks, 4 electronic health record (EHR) vendors, and 4 ePRO software developers. The initiative centers on monthly co-learning collaborative meetings, where interdisciplinary leaders from participating practices—spanning clinical care, informatics, and value-based care—convene to share data dashboards, implementation progress, common barriers, and strategic solutions. Billing guidance, standard operating procedures, and support materials are provided by the operational team, ACS, and industry partners, with ASCO coaches facilitating knowledge exchange.

The initiative continues to expand, with additional practices joining domestically and internationally. By demonstrating that remote symptom monitoring via ePROs can be implemented broadly and effectively across both community and academic settings, OncoPRO hopes to offer a scalable model for others seeking to improve cancer care through enhanced symptom tracking and patient engagement.

The OncoPRO team anticipates that the collaborative approach will drive not only greater uptake of ePRO programs but also improved operational efficiency and clinical outcomes, aligning with the evolving demands of value-based oncology care.

Reference

Basch E, Patt D, Jansen J, et al. OncoPRO: A US national initiative supporting implementation of remote symptom monitoring with electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) in oncology practices. Presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting; May 30-June 3, 2025. Chicago, Illinois.