INTRODUCTION: The complexity of chronic non-cancer pain in the setting of regulatory efforts to curb opioid usage presents a novel challenge for the medical community. Much of this burden falls on primary care clinics. We retrospectively quantified the reduction of opioid usage by patients in a multimodal, interdisciplinary, primary care clinic for chronic pain. METHODS: A multimodal, interdisciplinary, chronic pain clinic embedded in a large academic military family medicine clinic operated one-half day weekly to address referrals from within the clinic at large. Appointment times were longer than typical primary care appointments. The clinic was equipped with support staff, ancillary specialty providers, and non-pharmacologic complementary treatment resources. A retrospective cohort review was conducted on 78 patients referred to this clinic from March 1, 2015 (the inception date of the clinic) through December 31, 2015. RESULTS: Fifty-four of 78 patients met inclusion criteria. Overall mean morphine equivalent daily dosing (MEDD) dropped from 31.5 MEDD to 20.5 MEDD (p = 0.0005) 12 months post-intervention and from 31.5 MEDD to 9.5 MEDD (p < 0.0001) 36 months post-intervention. Four patients with a high mean baseline opioid dose of 185.2 MEDD dropped to 29.9 MEDD 36 months post-intervention. The mean 0-10 pain score decreased from 5.3 ± 2.2 to 4.0 ± 2.5 (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: A multimodal, interdisciplinary, primary care-based, chronic pain clinic equipped with extended appointment times, non-pharmacologic treatment resources, and specialty access can curb opioid usage. Leadership support for protracted appointment duration, complementary treatment resources, and interdisciplinary personnel is crucial to success.
INTRODUCTION: The complexity of chronic non-cancer pain in the setting of regulatory efforts to curb opioid usage presents a novel challenge for the medical community. Much of this burden falls on primary care clinics. We retrospectively quantified the reduction of opioid usage by patients in a multimodal, interdisciplinary, primary care clinic for chronic pain. METHODS: A multimodal, interdisciplinary, chronic pain clinic embedded in a large academic military family medicine clinic operated one-half day weekly to address referrals from within the clinic at large. Appointment times were longer than typical primary care appointments. The clinic was equipped with support staff, ancillary specialty providers, and non-pharmacologic complementary treatment resources. A retrospective cohort review was conducted on 78 patients referred to this clinic from March 1, 2015 (the inception date of the clinic) through December 31, 2015. RESULTS: Fifty-four of 78 patients met inclusion criteria. Overall mean morphine equivalent daily dosing (MEDD) dropped from 31.5 MEDD to 20.5 MEDD (p = 0.0005) 12 months post-intervention and from 31.5 MEDD to 9.5 MEDD (p < 0.0001) 36 months post-intervention. Four patients with a high mean baseline opioid dose of 185.2 MEDD dropped to 29.9 MEDD 36 months post-intervention. The mean 0-10 pain score decreased from 5.3 ± 2.2 to 4.0 ± 2.5 (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: A multimodal, interdisciplinary, primary care-based, chronic pain clinic equipped with extended appointment times, non-pharmacologic treatment resources, and specialty access can curb opioid usage. Leadership support for protracted appointment duration, complementary treatment resources, and interdisciplinary personnel is crucial to success.
Authors: Michael Von Korff; Sascha Dublin; Rod L Walker; Michael Parchman; Susan M Shortreed; Ryan N Hansen; Kathleen Saunders Journal: J Pain Date: 2015-10-22 Impact factor: 5.820
Authors: Michael L Parchman; Michael Von Korff; Laura-Mae Baldwin; Mark Stephens; Brooke Ike; DeAnn Cromp; Clarissa Hsu; Ed H Wagner Journal: J Am Board Fam Med Date: 2017-01-02 Impact factor: 2.657
Authors: Michael L Parchman; Robert B Penfold; Brooke Ike; David Tauben; Michael Von Korff; Mark Stephens; Kari A Stephens; Laura-Mae Baldwin Journal: Ann Fam Med Date: 2019-07 Impact factor: 5.166
Authors: Lindsey Dorflinger; Brent Moore; Joseph Goulet; William Becker; Alicia A Heapy; John J Sellinger; Robert D Kerns Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2014-12 Impact factor: 5.128