Simon Deslauriers1,2, Jean-Sébastien Roy3,4, Sasha Bernatsky5,6,7, Nathan Blanchard3,4, Debbie E Feldman8,9,10, Anne Marie Pinard3,4,11, Mary-Ann Fitzcharles5,6, François Desmeules8,12, Kadija Perreault13,14. 1. Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (CIRRIS), Centre Intégré Universitaire De Santé Et De Services Sociaux De La Capitale-Nationale, 525, boulevard W.-Hamel, Quebec (QC), G1M 2S8, Canada. simon.deslauriers.1@ulaval.ca. 2. Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. simon.deslauriers.1@ulaval.ca. 3. Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (CIRRIS), Centre Intégré Universitaire De Santé Et De Services Sociaux De La Capitale-Nationale, 525, boulevard W.-Hamel, Quebec (QC), G1M 2S8, Canada. 4. Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. 5. McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), Montreal, Canada. 6. McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 7. Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), Montreal, Canada. 8. Faculty of medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada. 9. Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR), CRIR, Montréal, Canada. 10. Public Health Research Institute of Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada. 11. Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) de Québec, CHUL, Quebec, Canada. 12. Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (CRHMR) Research Center, CRHMR, Montreal, Canada. 13. Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (CIRRIS), Centre Intégré Universitaire De Santé Et De Services Sociaux De La Capitale-Nationale, 525, boulevard W.-Hamel, Quebec (QC), G1M 2S8, Canada. kadija.perreault@fmed.ulaval.ca. 14. Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. kadija.perreault@fmed.ulaval.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Extensive waiting times before receiving services is a major barrier to adequate pain management. Waiting times may have a detrimental impact on patients' conditions and quality of life. However, there remains a lack of knowledge on the actual experiences of patients waiting to receive services, especially for those with rheumatic conditions. The present study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of perceptions and experiences of patients with rheumatic conditions regarding access to pain clinic services. The secondary objective was to identify possible solutions to improve this access according to patients' perspectives. METHODS: This qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews was conducted with adults with rheumatic conditions waiting to access pain clinics in the province of Quebec, Canada. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-six participants were interviewed (22 women and 4 men; mean age 54 ± 10 years). Four main themes were identified: 1) the perception that waiting time is unacceptably long; 2) how the lack of information affects patients' experiences of waiting; 3) patients' various expectations towards the pain clinic, from high hopes to disillusionment and 4) carrying an emotional, physical and financial burden resulting from the wait. Participants reported several solutions to improve the experience of waiting, including providing information to patients, increasing resources, improving prioritization processes and care coordination, and providing alternative interventions to patients during the wait. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with rheumatic conditions, access to pain clinic services is challenging due to extensive waiting times. The burden it imposes on them adds to the existing challenge of living with a chronic rheumatic condition. The solutions identified by participants could serve as building blocks to develop and implement measures to improve patients' experience of accessing pain-related services.
BACKGROUND: Extensive waiting times before receiving services is a major barrier to adequate pain management. Waiting times may have a detrimental impact on patients' conditions and quality of life. However, there remains a lack of knowledge on the actual experiences of patients waiting to receive services, especially for those with rheumatic conditions. The present study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of perceptions and experiences of patients with rheumatic conditions regarding access to pain clinic services. The secondary objective was to identify possible solutions to improve this access according to patients' perspectives. METHODS: This qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews was conducted with adults with rheumatic conditions waiting to access pain clinics in the province of Quebec, Canada. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-six participants were interviewed (22 women and 4 men; mean age 54 ± 10 years). Four main themes were identified: 1) the perception that waiting time is unacceptably long; 2) how the lack of information affects patients' experiences of waiting; 3) patients' various expectations towards the pain clinic, from high hopes to disillusionment and 4) carrying an emotional, physical and financial burden resulting from the wait. Participants reported several solutions to improve the experience of waiting, including providing information to patients, increasing resources, improving prioritization processes and care coordination, and providing alternative interventions to patients during the wait. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with rheumatic conditions, access to pain clinic services is challenging due to extensive waiting times. The burden it imposes on them adds to the existing challenge of living with a chronic rheumatic condition. The solutions identified by participants could serve as building blocks to develop and implement measures to improve patients' experience of accessing pain-related services.
Entities:
Keywords:
Access; Chronic pain; Pain clinics; Rheumatic conditions; Waiting time
Authors: P Taylor; B Manger; J Alvaro-Gracia; R Johnstone; J Gomez-Reino; E Eberhardt; F Wolfe; S Schwartzman; N Furfaro; A Kavanaugh Journal: J Int Med Res Date: 2010 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 1.671
Authors: Simon Deslauriers; Jean-Sébastien Roy; Sasha Bernatsky; Debbie E Feldman; Anne Marie Pinard; François Desmeules; Mary-Ann Fitzcharles; Kadija Perreault Journal: J Pain Res Date: 2019-07-30 Impact factor: 3.133
Authors: Nathan Blanchard; Simon Deslauriers; Jonathan Gervais-Hupé; Anne Hudon; Jean-Sébastien Roy; Sasha Bernatsky; Debbie E Feldman; Anne Marie Pinard; Mary-Ann Fitzcharles; François Desmeules; Kadija Perreault Journal: BMC Musculoskelet Disord Date: 2022-09-22 Impact factor: 2.562