eSyM Results

(Data on this webpage was presented at the 2024 and 2025 ASCO Annual Meetings)

Project Overview

The SIMPRO Consortium launched eSyM across their six institutions in 2018 and assessed patient outcomes, implementation, and patient and clinician experiences with the program. Results are actively being analyzed and published and can be found on our publications page.

Build eSyM program and integrate into Epic

Deploy eSyM at 6 health systems as part of routine clinical practice

Study eSyM and assess implementation and impact on outcomes

Results

39,942

total patients

were treated from January 2018 to February 2023 across all six sites

27,767

surgery patients

12,175

medical oncology patients

Primary Outcome: Healthcare Utilization

Approximately 50% of the patients exposed to the program used it to report symptoms

When comparing patients exposed to eSyM (intervention) vs not exposed (control):

Outcomes were not statistically different, except for surgery intervention patients who had higher odds of visiting the emergency room
Results varied by health system, with evidence of higher, similar, and lower odds of acute care events for the intervention vs. control group

Secondary Outcomes

Among patients exposed to eSyM, comparing symptom reporters to non-reporters

(analysis adjusted based on propensity to report)

Amongst those assigned to eSyM, program use was associated with a lower likelihood of having an ED visit (10-20%) and admission (19-37%) at 30-90 days.

Clinical Impacts

eSyM deployment was associated with lower scores on the PROMIS fatigue, anxiety, and depression measures. (DOI: 10.1200/OP-25-00306)

Self-reported HRQOL correlated with common symptom and was associated with clinical outcomes. (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.70185)

Patients reporting severe pain postop were more likely to receive ≥1 opioid prescription and become persistent opioid users (DOI: 10.1016/j.xjon.2025.02.010)

Implementation

EHR-integration facilitated electronic symptom management (eSyM) in routine oncology practice (DOI: 10.1200/CCI.21.00137)

Patient and clinician engagement strategies facilitated clinical impact of eSyM (DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-11536-5)

Quality improvement techniques, such as SPC charting, facilitated implementation of eSyM (DOI: 10.1097/JHQ.0000000000000478)

Dissemination

eSyM became available in the Epic Foundation system in August 2023

To date, 50+ additional health systems have adopted eSyM

Epic continues to invest in program enhancements

Interested in eSyM data?

eSyM data can be requested from the SIMPRO Data Commons via the Harvard Dataverse.