A Shared Medical Appointment on the Benefits and Risks of Opioids Is Associated With Improved Patient Confidence in Managing Chronic Pain. (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Romanelli, Robert J; Dolginsky, Marina; Byakina, Yuliya; Bronstein, Deborah; Wilson, Sandra
• Is Part Of: Journal of patient experience. Volume 4:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 144
• Page End: 151
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: chronic pain -- opioid use -- shared medical appointments; Patient satisfaction -- Periodicals; Patient satisfaction -- United States -- Periodicals; Patient participation -- Periodicals; Patient participation -- United States -- Periodicals; Patient satisfaction; Patient participation; United States; 362.1068
• DOI: 10.1177/2374373517706837
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2374-3735

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate a shared medical appointment (SMA) on opioids in the treatment of chronic pain. Research design: This prospective study was conducted at an ambulatory clinic within a health-care delivery system. The SMA is a single 90-minute encounter, led by a physician. We included adult patients who attended the SMA and completed an immediate pre–post survey. Survey items were measured on a scale from 0 (worst) to 5 (best). Mean differences in pre–post responses were assessed by a paired t test. Results: A total of 130 patients were included in the analysis. Patients showed improvements in confidence in self-managing pain (+0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29-0.59; P < .001) and their providers' ability to help manage pain (+0.28; 95% CI: 0.14-0.43; P < .001). Most patients (81%) were very/extremely satisfied with the SMA. Conclusions: An SMA on the benefits and risks of opioids was associated with prompt improvements in patients' confidence in self-managing pain and in their health-care providers' ability to help manage pain. Such confidence can lay the foundation for increased patient engagement and activation in pain management.