eCOA: Electronic clinical outcome assessment

Electronic clinical outcome assessment (eCOA) is an electronic method for gathering self-reported health outcome information from patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. eCOA is an umbrella term that typically encompasses the following outcome-collection instruments:

• Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs):  ePROs are the most frequently used type of eCOA in clinical trials. ePRO refers to  outcome data reported directly from patients electronically, typically via smartphones, tablets, or web platforms.
• Electronic observer-reported outcomes (eObsRo): eObsRO are outcomes reported electronically by an observer, such as a parent, caregiver, or healthcare provider on behalf of a patient. eObsRo is typically employed in populations where study participants may have difficulty self-reporting their symptoms, behaviors or experiences, e.g. pediatric, behavioral or mental health, or rare disease or genetic disorder studies.
• Electronic clinician reported outcome (eClinRo): eClinRO are outcome data that are reported by clinicians. 
• Electronic performance outcomes (ePerfO): ePerfO refers to performance outcomes measured electronically through standardized tasks or assessments that evaluate a patient’s ability to perform specific physical or cognitive activities, e.g. a grip strength test or a gait analysis.
• eDiary: An eDiary is one method to capture eCOA, specifically ePROs, as it elicits patients to report directly about their perception of their symptoms, quality of life, and other related domains.

In modern clinical trials, eCOA is a critical source of treatment efficacy data. Data for diverse clinical trial endpoints can be sourced from eCOA, giving researchers direct insight into changes in patient health status, symptomology, and functioning.