Alternative approaches to measuring HRQoL?
There are important dimensions of receiving care beyond simply duration and (health-related) quality of life. These include the quality of life of family and caregivers, and convenience for patients. Also, measurements may not consider unmet needs or distinguish between additional health gained by the very old or for the very sick (who may value small health gains to a greater extent).
The field of HRQoL measurement is rich with information and debate. While some propose new measures, others have suggested modifying existing ones. It is difficult to find consensus between various stakeholders about what should be measured as HRQoL, or how. Some health systems face extra difficulties when discussing modifications if all their previous health system decisions were based on a single measure. The only consensus among experts is that it is preferable to invest in measurement only if a minimum level of quality of that measurement is guaranteed, and, where feasible, apply different measures.