Improving perioperative pain management: a preintervention and postintervention study in 7 developing countries

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Pain Management
• Quality Improvement Science

Background:

• Untreated postoperative pain presents a significant global health challenge.
• Effective pain management is crucial for patient recovery and well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of implementing quality improvement (QI) tools for perioperative pain management in developing countries.
• To evaluate the impact of QI interventions on pain management processes and patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Main Methods:

• A multicenter project coordinated by PAIN OUT, involving the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
• Principal investigators (PIs) in 8 hospitals across 7 countries implemented QI interventions in surgical wards.
• Standardized web-based tools collected data on perioperative pain management and PROs.

Main Results:

• Interventions primarily focused on educating providers about pain management strategies.
• Improvements in pain management processes were observed in 35% of participating wards.
• Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) showed improvement in 37.5% of wards.

Conclusions:

• The project provided a valuable framework and tools for QI initiatives in pain management.
• Observed improvements in management practices and PROs were complex and varied by site.
• The initiative enhanced international collaboration in QI research and pain management education.