Abstract
Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs (IPRPs) are based on a functional restoration approach to treating complex chronic pain conditions. With a greater appreciation for a biopsychosocial approach to more effectively manage patients with chronic pain has come the development of more comprehensive treatment programs with less of a biomedical emphasis (i.e., interventional therapy, unimodal physical therapy, and passive modalities) and more of a biopsychosocial one. Interdisciplinary programs involve the use of multiple disciplines such as physical and occupational therapy, pain psychology, medical pain management, vocational rehabilitation, relaxation training, and nursing educations. Multiple psychometric tools are used in the assessment process and along treatment to better assess outcomes. This article will examine components of IPRPs, discuss desirable features of successful programs and teams, and more closely review four established outpatient pain programs in the United States. A greater understanding of the unique features and shared values of successful programs will help one better understand how these programs can be more widely used and available. The review will also highlight common psychometric outcomes tools used in assessing patients and monitoring outcomes. Most importantly, the review will help to answer a common question, even among pain physicians: “What goes on in those chronic pain programs?”
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: •• Of major importance
Chou R, Loeser J, Owens D, Rosenquist R, Atlas S, Baisden J, Carragee E, Grabois M, Murphy R, Resnick D, Stanos S, Shaffer W, Wall E. Interventional therapies, surgery, and interdisciplinary rehabilitation for low back pain. An evidence-based clinical practice guideline from the American Pain Society. Spine. 2009;34(10):1066–77. Evidence based treatment guidelines based on multidisciplinary panel of expert's comprehensive review of the literature related to interdisciplinary treatment. Found strong evidence to support the use of interdisciplinary treatment for patients with chronic axial low back pain who failed to respond to conservative treatment.
Boon H, Verhoef M, O’Hara D, Findlay B. From parallel practice to integrative health care: a conceptual framework. BMC Health Serv Res. 2004;4:15.
Stanos SP. Developing an interdisciplinary multidisciplinary chronic pain managememtn program: nuts and bolts. In: Schatman M, Campbell A, editors. Chronic pain management: guideleines for multidisciplinary program development. New York: Informa Healthcare; 2007.
McCracken L, Turk D. Behavioral and Cognitive-behavioral treatment for chronic pain. Spine. 2002;27:2564–73.
American Pain Society White Paper: Interdisciplinary Pain Management, 2008.
Townsend C, et al. A longitudinal study of the efficacy of a comprehensive pain rehabilitation program with opioid withdrawal: Comparison of treatment outcomes based on opioid use status at admission. Pain. 2008;140:177–89.
Acknowledgments
Dr. Steven Stanos would like to thank Judith Scheman, Ph.D, Ed Covington, M.D. (Cleveland Clinic); Cynthia Townsend, Ph.D (Mayo Clinic); and Virgil Wittmer, Ph.D (Brooks Rehabilitation) for their assistance in the development of this manuscript.
Disclosure
Dr. Steven Stanos is an employee of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stanos, S. Focused Review of Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Programs for Chronic Pain Management. Curr Pain Headache Rep 16, 147–152 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-012-0252-4
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-012-0252-4