Implementation of a System to Measure the Quality of Life of Patients and Caregivers: a First Experiment in Cardiology at the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital

Context: The post-clinical intervention quality of life has become a central clinical criterion for assessing the overall effect of management and is an essential indicator in medico-economic analyses. It allows, among other things, to include the QALYS (Quality-Adjusted Life Years), which combine life expectancy and quality of life in a single synthetic measure, facilitating comparisons between different therapeutic strategies. Health-related quality of life is often measured through the use of a validated questionnaire, completed by patients, which translates their perceived state of health into utility scores. In France, the EQ-5D questionnaire, which covers five dimensions of quality of life (mobility, autonomy, daily activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression), is the main tool used for this measure. The answers are converted into a value of utility using a quotation system (or 'value set') specific to the French population, scientifically validated.

Despite the relevance of this information for improving patient well-being and for medico-economic studies, the collection of quality of life data is still too often absent from the healthcare pathway. To our knowledge, no clinical department of the CHU has a systematic, integrated and automated system for interviewing patients before and after an intervention, in order to document the evolution of their quality of life over time.

At the same time, the quality of life of medical staff is a growing issue, both for the quality of care and for the overall performance of health facilities. The professional well-being of caregivers, their mental load, their level of exhaustion or even their work/personal life balance directly influence their availability, their involvement and the quality of the caregiver-patient relationship.