Opportunities and barriers for telemedicine in pain management: insights from a SIAARTI survey among Italian pain physicians

Abstract

Background The integration of telemedicine in pain management represents a significant advancement in healthcare delivery, offering opportunities to enhance patient access to specialized care, improve satisfaction, and streamline chronic pain management. Despite its growing adoption, there remains a lack of comprehensive data on its utilization in pain therapy, necessitating a deeper understanding of physicians’ perspectives, experiences, and challenges. Methods A survey was conducted in Italy between January 2024 and May 2024. Specialist center members of the SIAARTI were sent an online questionnaire testing the state of the art of telemedicine for pain medicine. Results One-hundred thirty-one centers across Italy reveal varied adoption rates, with 40% routinely using telemedicine. Regional disparities exist, with Northern Italy showing higher adoption rates. Barriers include the absence of protocols, resource constraints, and bureaucratic obstacles. Despite challenges, telemedicine has shown positive impacts on service delivery, with increased service volume reported. Technological capabilities, including image sharing and teleconsultation with specialists, indicate promising interdisciplinary potential. Conclusions The integration of advanced telemedicine software utilizing artificial intelligence holds promise for enhancing telemonitoring and alert systems, potentially leading to more proactive and personalized pain management strategies.