Computerized quality-of-life screening in a cancer pain clinic

Methods: To determine the utility and acceptability to patients and staff o f a computerized quality-of-life (QOL) screening program in a tertiary ambu latory cancer pain clinic, patients were administered the computerized EORT C-QLQ-C30 questionnaire. A report summarizing this QOL information was give n to clinic staff prior to each patient's appointment. Both the patient and the clinical staff were surveyed afterwards. Results: Although more than h alf of the 46 patients had never used a computer before, almost all reporte d that the program was easy to use and understand, enjoyable, helpful, and quick. Their attitudes toward computers significantly improved from pre- to post-assessment. Staff found the QOL information to be appropriate and use ful. Conclusions: The computerized questionnaire was readily used by patien ts and was helpful to pain clinic staff, making it an appropriate tool for identifying important QOL problems and issues in busy clinical settings, ev en for inexperienced computer users with significant functional impairment.