The management of chronic osteoarticular pain in the outpatient setting: results of an ASON audit.

UNLABELLED: The management of patients with chronic osteoarticular pain requires a comprehensive clinical evaluation and a multidisciplinary approach. Thirty specialists (orthopedic specialists, rheumatologists, physiatrists), members of the National Association of Osteoarticular Specialists (ASON), attended a specific training course in the use of a standardized medical record designed for the management of osteoarticular pain in outpatients. An audit on 888 medical records was later conducted and it showed that use of this instrument led to an improvement in the diagnostic-therapeutic approach. A complete and accurate medical record compilation process may also promote collaborative interaction among the healthcare practitioners involved and this can result in greater efficiency and continuity of care. ASON recommends expediting the use of electronic tools to facilitate information-sharing among pain care specialists. This study shows that the use of electronic tools facilitates the exchange of information between healthcare providers. ASON supports the adoption of similar instruments in order to improve the management of chronic pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, cross-sectional survey.