Patient-reported outcomes

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are standardised and validated tools to collect information directly from the patient about their health. They capture people’s own views of their health and wellbeing, in their own words, and can tell us how well their care is working for them.

We are expanding our patient‑reported measures programme to include PROMs. In 2024 we began collecting two PROMs, EQ-5D-5L and Hua Oranga, in a patient population who had recent contact with their general practice. These measure were collected through our adult primary care patient experience survey.

In 2025, we expanded the patient population invited to complete PROMs. Adults who recently stayed in hospital are now asked to complete the EQ‑5D‑5L as part of the adult inpatient experience survey. We also started collecting EQ-5D-5L from people receiving home and community support services through the home and community support services survey.

 Our goal is to strengthen understanding of people’s health status and the factors that influence them.
Collecting patient population level PROMs helps us:

• track how well the health system is performing geographically and for different patient groups
• support quality improvement
• inform policy
• strengthen patient‑centred, equitable care

 EQ-5D-5L

The EQ-5D-5L is a generic measure of self-reported health in five dimensions: mobility, self‑care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression.

Hua Oranga

Hua Oranga is a ‘by Māori, for Māori’ health outcome measure that includes four items to measure each of the four taha (domains) of Te Whare Tapa Whā: tinana (physical health), wairua (spiritual health), hinengaro (mental/emotional health) and whānau (social health).

‘Patient-reported outcome measures in New Zealand: Results from the adult primary care patient experience survey’ is our first national report on PROMs in New Zealand. It explains how PROMs are being used and shares findings from two measures, EQ‑5D‑5L and Hua Oranga, based on feedback from about 56,000 people who had contact with their general practice.

Read the full report

More information about PROMs is available in the Code of Expectations Implementation Guide