Janet Cady

Syndrome Using an Evidence-Based Practice Symptom Severity Tool

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a widespread functional bowel disorder distinguished by chronic pain that can markedly reduce quality of life. Patient perceived symptom control needs to be established to ensure effective IBS therapy.

Local problem: Evaluation standards and questions vary between clinicians leading to inconsistent evaluation of IBS severity. Evidence-based practice suggests a standardized measurement of IBS symptoms to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of treatment measures and symptom control.

Methods: A gastroenterology clinic in Pennsylvania implemented a standardized IBS symptom severity tool, the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS). A single question patient self-reported IBS symptom severity measurement was used to mirror current practice for IBS-SSS comparison assessment. Project team member perception of feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness pre- and post-implementation of the IBS-SSS was assessed using a Likert-style survey adapted from Weiner et al. (2017). Tool use acceptability was calculated by comparing the number of patients eligible to complete the tool with the number of those who completed the tool.

Interventions: A validated IBS symptom severity assessment tool was implemented and compared to self-reported patient symptom severity assessment.

Results: The pre- and post-implementation survey scores for feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of IBS-SSS use were high. All eligible individuals completed the project tools indicating tool acceptability. Comparison of the IBS-SSS and self-reported tool score demonstrated moderate positive correlation.

Conclusions: Implementing the IBS-SSS supports the literature findings that use of IBS symptom severity assessment tools reliably evaluates IBS disease burden. This project has the potential to be incorporated into a variety of outpatient practices.

Any distribution, dissemination, copying or use of this information without permission is prohibited.

Any distribution, dissemination, copying or use of this information without permission is prohibited.

A PSU ID is required to access the scholarly paper on ScholarSphere.