Survey of Primary-Care Providers on Perceived Benefits of and Barriers to PainTracker

Abstract

Management of chronic pain is a common and complex challenge in primary care. Patient-reported outcomes surveys can help assist the patient with chronic pain to communicate the symptoms to their provider and engage the patient in treatment planning and evaluation to improve both quality of care and patient outcomes. A web survey was used to assess clinic providers’ perceived ease of use, barriers to use, and clinical benefits of a patient-reported outcomes survey, termed PainTracker. More than half the respondents were satisfied with PainTracker and 76% of respondents agreed that PainTracker helps patients participate in their pain management. Although only a first step, this study helps evaluate the benefits of involving patients in their pain management care.

The impact of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical practice for pain: a systematic review

“…Stage One, n  = 202, Stage Two, n  = 60, stage Three, n  = 253 (medical and surgical patients)Descriptive statisticsRavaud et al [45]FranceCluster-randomised controlled trial; outcome measures, patients’ medical recordTo evaluate the impact of an educational programme for nurses to improve pain assessmentVisual Analogue Scale—pain intensitySurgical wards. n  = 2278 surgical patientsMixed-model ANOVASchorn et al [35]USACross-sectional analytic; surveyTo assess how well a tool for pain measurement is received by healthcare providersPEG (3-item version of the Brief Pain Inventory)*—pain intensity and interferences, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4)*—depression and anxiety, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7)*—anxietyPrimary care. n  = 30 primary care providersQuantitative data—descriptive statistics, qualitative data—content analysisStratford and Binkley [40]CanadaCase series; patient-reported outcome measuresTo demonstrate the application of the Roland-Morris questionnaire in clinical scenarios can aid decision-making in clinical practiceRoland-Morris Questionnaire*—disabilityPhysical therapy.…”

“…Clinicians from various backgrounds, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and physical therapists, suggested that the purpose of PROMs was to assess the patients’ pain and quantify the impact of their pain [34, 35]. PROM data were also seen as a useful way to view pain within the context of a patients’ life [36, 37]; illustrated in the following quote from a nurse using PROMs in a hospital setting: It is important to assess and take into account the thresholds of physical pain for each different individual on different occasions and how it is impacted by cultural and physiological factors [37].…”

“…For example, in one study both patients and clinicians believed that using PROMs changed the clinician–patient interaction, as this patient explained: The system made it possible for the provider and I to talk about the important issues [33]. In a survey of primary care providers (PCPs), all using PROMs in their clinical practice, 76% felt satisfied that the PROM measuring pain helped patients participate in their pain management [35]. …”

“…This included identifying patient concerns and engaging patients in self-management [33, 35, 36]. One nurse stated: I see the implementation of the pain scale as a way to humanize care, where we can stop relying on machines and turn to the patient; to what he is saying and feeling.…”

“…A survey found that 53.3% of PCPs were satisfied that the PROM helped them to understand patient progress [35]. A case series also suggested that information from PROMs was used to track progress [40].…”