[Quality control of the rheumatological interdisciplinary pain-consultation]

The Rheumatologic Interdisciplinary pain assessment (RIPA) was evaluated for the time period between February 2002 and December 2005 by Scascighini and Sprott in 2007. The objective behind this quality control (performed for the time period from January 2006 through June 2010) was to analyse differences between employed and unemployed patients. Patients were interviewed in a longitudinal profile with a follow-up of three months after the interdisciplinarian evaluation (including medical, physio/occupational therapy as well as psychological evaluations). Client management for the group of currently unemployed persons was simplified for 63.8% of referring doctors following these consultations hours. With the group of currently employed persons it even facilitated client management for 79.2% of referring doctors, subsequent to consultation hours. 92.5% of these referring doctors would recommend the RIPA to colleagues and interested parties.