Can a pain management programme approach reduce healthcare use? Stopping the revolving door. Issue 3 (August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Clare, Ajay; Andiappan, Manoharan; MacNeil, Sarah; Bunton, Tamzin; Jarrett, Stephanie
• Is Part Of: British journal of pain. Volume 7:Issue 3(2013:Aug.)
• Page Start: 124
• Page End: 129
• Publication Date: 2013-08
• Subjects: Chronic pain -- cost-effectiveness -- healthcare use -- healthcare utilisation -- musculoskeletal pain -- pain management programme; Pain -- Periodicals; Pain -- Treatment -- Periodicals; 616.0472
• DOI: 10.1177/2049463713484907
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2049-4637

Abstract

Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain are frequent users of healthcare. Whilst evidence suggests that a multidisciplinary pain management programme (PMP) approach is effective in reducing patients' levels of distress and disability, there is little research examining the cost-effectiveness of such an approach. The present study sought to address this by examining the impact a PMP had on patients' pain-related secondary care healthcare use. A 90.5% reduction in healthcare use was found 12 months after the PMP, compared with 12 months before the PMP. The cost of the pain-related healthcare use 12 months before the PMP was £35, 700. Twelve months after the PMP, the cost of healthcare use had reduced to £3879. The findings suggest that a PMP approach could reduce pain-related healthcare use.