Turning Pain into Gain: Evaluation of a Multidisciplinary Chronic Pain Management Program in Primary Care

To measure the impact of the multidisciplinary Turning Pain Into Gain program in people experiencing chronic pain of any etiology.

A mixed-methods observational study of 252 participants was used to explore the impact of Turning Pain Into Gain on medication use; quality of life and functioning, as measured by the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire; and self-reported hospitalizations between 2015 and 2016.

Responses from 178 participants showed an increased alignment with Australian pain medication guidelines (e.g., a 7.3% reduction in paracetamol duplication was reported with a concurrent 5.1% rise in the administration of sustained-release paracetamol formulations); improved Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire scores from 23.1 (out of a possible score of 60) preprogram to 35.3 postprogram; and a reduction in self-reported hospitalizations from 50 cases in the 12 months preprogram to 11 cases in the 12 months postprogram.

Positive medication, Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and hospitalization changes provide evidence for the broader implementation of similar patient-centered programs to promote more holistic management of diverse types of chronic pain in primary care. Reduced hospitalization reflects potential for this intervention to be cost-effective, which could be investigated further.