A Pilot Comparison of a Smartphone App With or Without 2-Way Messaging Among Chronic Pain Patients: Who Benefits From a Pain App?

OBJECTIVES: The overall aim of this study was to determine the effect of introducing a smartphone pain application (app), for both Android and iPhone devices that enables chronic pain patients to assess, monitor, and communicate their status to their providers. METHODS: This study recruited 105 chronic pain patients to use a smartphone pain app and half of the patients (N=52) had 2-way messaging available through the app. All patients completed baseline measures and were asked to record their progress every day for 3 months, with the opportunity to continue for 6 months. All participants were supplied a Fitbit to track daily activity. Summary line graphs were posted to each of the patients' electronic medical records and physicians were notified of their patient's progress. RESULTS: Ninety patients successfully downloaded the pain app. Average age of the participants was 47.1 (range, 18 to 72), 63.8% were female and 32.3% reported multiple pain sites. Adequate validity and reliability was found between the daily assessments and standardized questionnaires (r=0.50) and in repeated daily measures (pain, r=0.69; sleep, r=0.83). The app was found to be easily introduced and well tolerated. Those patients assigned to the 2-way messaging condition on average tended to use the app more and submit more daily assessments (95.6 vs. 71.6 entries), but differences between groups were not significant. Pain-app satisfaction ratings overall were high. DISCUSSION: This study highlights some of the challenges and benefits in utilizing smartphone apps to manage chronic pain patients, and provides insight into those individuals who might benefit from mHealth technology.

Attitudes of Primary Care Practitioners in Managing Chronic Pain Patients Prescribed Opioids for Pain: A Prospective Longitudinal Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: There is increasing concern among primary care practitioners (PCPs) regarding medication misuse and noncompliance among chronic pain patients prescribed opioids for pain. This study investigated the benefits of interventions designed to track potential opioid misuse and to improve practitioner confidence in managing patients with chronic pain through the use of risk assessment, monthly monitoring of compliance, and specialty support. METHODS: Fifty-six PCPs and 253 chronic pain patients were recruited into the study. All patients were assessed for risk and called once a month for 6 months to monitor pain and opioid compliance. Practitioner knowledge about opioids, concerns about analgesic prescriptions, practice behavior, and attitudes of managing chronic pain patients were assessed and questionnaires were repeated after 1 year. Practitioners in the experimental group received monthly patient summary reports that consisted of pain, mood, activity levels, healthcare utilization, and results of the Opioid Compliance Checklist, while practitioners in the control group did not receive the monthly reports. RESULTS: After 1 year all the PCPs reported improvement in identifying patients at risk for misuse (P < 0.05), perceived confidence in prescribing opioids for pain (P < 0.05) and increased satisfaction with communication with pain specialists (P < 0.05). The patients reported greater compliance with their opioid medication and felt that the monthly monitoring was beneficial. Despite modest improvements, many PCPs still lacked confidence in managing pain patients and reported reluctance to prescribe opioids for chronic noncancer pain, especially among younger practitioners. This study demonstrates the benefits of careful monitoring of chronic pain patients and need for pain management support within primary care.