Background & Aims
The method and application of multidisciplinary pain assessment appears to vary throughout the world with no ‘gold standard’ approach being applied (Dansie & Turk, 2013; Pao-Feng, 2011). Some pain clinics use a multi-disciplinary model where clients see a range of health professionals either at the same time or separately. Others operate in isolation.
The utility of the multidisciplinary approach to pain management is now undisputed (Kamper, Apeldoom, Chiarotto, Smeets, Ostelo,
The aims and purpose of this study is to survey clinicians working in pain services throughout the world to discover their preferred methods and delivery procedures when undertaking pain assessments and reviews. In particular how many and what type of services provide multi-disciplinary Pain Assessments and reviews, are multiple health professionals involved in the pain assessments at the same time or individually and what benefits and challenges have been seen by performing assessments and reviews together
Methods
An online voluntary self-report survey of clinicians working in existing advertised pain services as listed on the IASP website was sent out in late September of 2019 using Qualtrics software. A total of 180 clinicians responded to the survey, representing many different countries and professions.
Results
Contrasting practices were shown between private and public health services. What constitutes a multidisciplinary assessment also varied greatly. Simultaneous assessment of patients was seen to be advantageous in all countries. The combination of clinicians taking part in assessments simultaneously seemed to vary with the most common combination being physiotherapists and psychologists.
Conclusions
The overwhelming finding was that great majority pain clinicians all over the world saw great benefit in simultaneous assessment for a variety of reasons that will be outlined and explained. Although not all participants currently take part in simultaneous pain assessments a very large majority in trying it if they saw benefit and if it were logistically and financially viable.
References
Chipchase, L. S., Sheffield, D., & Hill, P. A. (2012). The long-term effectiveness of pain management programs: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Pain Management, 5(3), 215-230.
Kamper, S., Apeldoom, A., Chiarotto, A., Smeets, R., Ostelo, R., Guzman, J. and Tulder, M. (2015). Multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation for chronic low back pain: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis, BMJ 2015; 350
Presenting Author
Sharryn Lydall-Smith
Poster Authors
Sharryn Lydall-Smith
PhD
Monash Health
Lead Author
Marcus Bowler
BSc(Physio)
Monash Health
Lead Author
Andrea Funke
B OT (Hons)
Monash Health
Lead Author
Justin Moar BPHTY
Precision Brain Pain and Spine
Lead Author
David Field
MA Psychology
Metro Pain
Lead Author
Emmerson Smith
BA Psych (Hons)
Knox Health and Well Being Clinic
Lead Author
Topics
- Assessment and Diagnosis