New patient intake survey tool will help providers track underlying issues across multiple clinical domains

Researchers at the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University have developed a new tool for providers to track and potentially identify the early onset of serious underlying issues relevant for multiple chronic conditions that may otherwise go undetected.

According to a May 15 press release, the tool, called SymTrak, is designed to track symptoms including pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, memory problems, anxiety, and depression—especially in older adults—as these symptoms often appear together in multiple chronic conditions across multiple domains. The clinicians can therefore use this tool for patients in a variety of settings to help assess and provide better care for the diseases that cause such symptoms.

The SymTrak questionnaire functions like other patient intake surveys, can be completed by the patient or the patient’s caregiver, and is designed to be a quick, easy-to-score way to assess patient symptoms.

The research team developed SymTrak by conducting several focus groups and personal interviews with patients, caregivers, and providers to determine what questions, domains, and possible responses should be included. This feedback also helped improve the tool’s language and clarity. SymTrak drew from existing questionnaires, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) and Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor (HABC Monitor).

The developers said SymTrak can be used in both clinical and research settings.