Data-driven interdisciplinary interventions to improve inpatient pain management

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Patient Care Improvement
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Pain during hospitalization and patient dissatisfaction with pain management are prevalent issues.
• Effective pain management strategies are essential for improving patient experience and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify a pain Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) metric linked to patient satisfaction.
• To determine predictors of maximum NRS and implement interventions.
• To evaluate trends in NRS and patient satisfaction post-intervention.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of NRS data (n=4062) and patient satisfaction metrics.
• Identification of independent predictors for moderate-to-severe maximum NRS.
• Implementation of targeted interventions and evaluation of quarterly trends.

Main Results:

• Maximum NRS was inversely associated with patient satisfaction regarding pain efficacy and staff efforts.
• Younger age, female sex, longer hospital stay, and specific diagnoses predicted higher NRS.
• Interventions led to a 3.6% quarterly decline in moderate-to-severe maximum NRS and improved satisfaction rates.

Conclusions:

• Targeted interventions are effective in improving inpatient pain management.
• Reduced moderate-to-severe maximum NRS is linked to a higher likelihood of hospital discharge.
• Addressing patient pain effectively enhances overall satisfaction and care quality.